Rules of Popularity
by synchrogirl
Summary: S&S's love story went against everything. Sakura, Queen Bee, runined rep's of people who opposed her. Including Tomoyo's. All hell breaks loose when Meiling takes a stand-but Sakura fell for the person she was supposed to crush along with Meiling- Syaoran
1. Prologue

**Rules of Popularity ...be careful who you fall in love with.  
Prologue: And So It Begins..**

_ This is a story of something that some people only dream of. A story of something I experienced with my whole mind; whole body; whole heart. A story of two people drawn together by something pre-determined.  
  
This is a story of love.  
  
Love is a funny word, though. A feeling that can happen fast—just like that—or grow over time. A thing that can push people to their limits physically and mentally. Most of the time, the word "love" isn't always clear; this I know. For, love is something always started and not always finished. Why this is, I have never quite figured out. Perhaps, we are all meant to love more than once in a lifetime? To be able to experience this feeling many times over. But, for all the things about love I cannot figure out, there is one thing I know for sure.  
  
Young love is the worst of all.  
  
Young love causes people to make a choice between what they know an what they feel. Between status and emotions. Comfort and desire. Power and lust. I used to believe that I could have both; I couldn't._ They_ made me choose...  
  
A good story is not without a tragedy. Though as I look back I only see it makes, my story, our story, stronger. Sometimes good comes hand-in-hand with the bad. Now, this is not a tragedy as you might expect it- no one dies, no one gets forced apart by hundreds of miles. No, you see it wasn't our parents that forbid us to love- it was _them_. The rules of society in a regular high school; the responsibilities that came with popularity; and above all the humiliation I would take upon myself if I loved Syaoran Li.  
  
I am Sakura Kinomoto. This is my love story._


	2. Chapter 1: The Deadly Threat

**

* * *

Rules of Popularity ...be careful who you fall in love with.  
Chapter 1: The Deadly Threat**  
  
I admit it; I was popular through high school. I, Sakura Kinomoto, was the Queen Bee. I had my trusty clique consisting of three other girls: Alex Bolton, a tall blue-eyed blond; Lyndze Johnson, tanned skin, light brown eyes, long medium brown hair; and Sara Greenwell, short, long blond hair-gray eyed wonder. Of course, I myself was a beauty too. Unlike Sara and Lyndze, me and Alex had shoulder length hair. I had emerald green eyes, and a model body. My little clique and I were the most popular group right through out high school.   
  
Now, you expect a Queen Bee to be self coincided, huh? You're right—I was. I was obsessed with myself. I made sure everyone else was too—no one could be better or prettier than I was.  
  
I wasn't always like this; oh, no. I was nice to people and people in turn liked me for it. This whole popular thing didn't start until grade 9, when I started in a new high school—and lasted peacefully because I _knew_ how to keep my power. Anyways, up until then I had a whole different circle of friends. Tomoyo Daidoji was my best friend. Rita, Nikki, Chelsae were my friends, too; and of course Meiling and Syaoran Li from Hong Hong, though they left a few years back. But, that all changed in grade 9. I became popular along with the former Queen Bees (of their previous junior high schools) Alex, Lyndze and Sara: not only that, I was chosen as the leader after I ditched my former friends. They were losers. I couldn't be seen with them. It's _not_ my fault what happened to Tomoyo.  
  
Then, it happened. A blast from the past. Meiling Li showed up.   
  
My empire came across a deadly threat.

* * *

"Tomoyo! Oh my gosh—how have you been?," Meiling gushed. Tomoada airport was as busy as ever, just as she'd remembered it. "I see you, Nikki, Chelsae, Rita—but, no Sakura?"  
  
Tomoyo bit her lip. "She couldn't make it." Nikki rolled her eyes.  
  
Meiling shrugged. "Tomorrow, when I start school then."  
  
Rita smiled. "How long you here for?"  
  
"Well—for the rest of grade 11. It's only October, so I haven't missed much. And, I guess perhaps I might stay for our senior year."  
  
Chelsae put an arm around Meiling's shoulder. "C'mon—we have to still get you ready for your big day. Tomorrow_ is_ your first day as a junior here!"

* * *

As, yes, the Li's. Syaoran and Meiling. Where should I begin?  
  
Both were my friends through grade school—K-6. In fact, they were more than friends. Best friends, always there for me. I spent a lot of time with the two cousins, and once, I even had a little crush on Syaoran. Amber eyes, messy amber hair is hard _not_ to love.   
  
I'll never forget what Meiling taught me those years. Meiling is unlike any person I've ever met—she doesn't care of others opinions, nor does she follow 'latest trends'. In turn, people admired her for it. Meiling was popular in her own way—not that she cared. Popularity meant nothing to her. She didn't care that people looked up to her. She only cared about what she thought of herself. Meiling was powerful and witty. She showed me what people obtained when given popularity and didn't use it. Nothing but being liked. No special treatment, no envious eyes, no hot boyfriends. Looking back, I admired that all her popularity was because people admired her for being independent.   
  
Now, I feel disgust for her.   
  
How dare she abuse such a rare gift?   
  
People could have _feared_ her. She could have been the leader of all student body activity. Maybe that's why _I_ felt such a strong sense of revenge when I was chosen to be one of the ' in crowd'. A feeling that I could make things right. I swore, from that day on, I would never repeat the past mistakes of Meiling Li.  
  
When they left, I was devastated. All our days having fun together, laughing together and chilling together were over.  
  
Little did I know that those famous ruby eyes Meiling's famous for would come to haunt me...

* * *

"Tomoada Junior High. Population 900. Seems like all the local junior high kids all end up going here, huh?," Meiling asked.  
  
Tomoyo nodded; it was the only high school in the district. On top of that, they had no uniforms except for gym. Guess that's why kids ended up going here, no matter if Tokyo High was closer. "Yup—well, better give you a tour, huh? The faster you know who to avoid, the better." Meiling made a disgusted face; she didn't care who she pissed off and who she talked to.  
  
{Try to imagine a tour of a school} Tomoyo started, as they began walking the halls of the school. "This school consists of three major groups: popular kids, middle class, and losers. Popular kids include the famous junior foursome and hot senior guys; middles are the people who mind their own business and aren't on bad terms with the popular ones; and the losers- the "tagged" groups. Don't mess with popular, or you won't attend this school anymore. Basically, avoid making the popular girls mad. They control the school."  
  
Meiling nodded as she, Tomoyo, Nikki and Chelsae stood in the hallway, at Nikki's locker. "So...who are the popular ones?"  
  
Rita came up to them as they started down the hallway, just in time to hear Meiling's question. "Alex Boulton. Tall, skinny model. Blue eyes, blond hair. She knows _everything _about _everyone_—on top of that she's mega rich from her family line—all girl Boulton's model.  
  
"Lyndze Johnson...what can I say? She also looks like a model—but isn't. She's tanned, has long brown tresses, and well is _really _smart. Takes senior level courses. She's also rich—well, they pretty much all are—and only wears designer brands. It's only because her parents give her anything. Rumor has it that the only reason they do it is because they think she needs to be more of a teenager, rather than a girl completely devoted to her studies."  
  
Nikki closed her locker, taking over Rita's descriptions. "Sara Greenwell, the world's biggest slut. Can't even know a guy for even an hour without making out. Long blond hair, short, gray black lined eyes—she's a beauty. She's not to smart though—but knows _lots_ of male models. Likes them from Abercrombie and Fitch. She probably knows more than the Queen Bee."  
  
Chelsae nodded. "Senior boys from the football team. Especially Matt Damen. God, he can he ever play football! Everyone says he's gonna get a scholarship. Brown hair, blue eyes, he's, of course, the boyfriend of the little clique leader those girls have. But, God, he's hot." Chelsae had an everlasting crush on Matt Damen.   
  
Meiling nodded, slowly. There was one thing that nobody had forwardly come out with. Why were they beating around the bush? "Who's this girl? This Queen Bee?"  
  
Nikki narrowed her eyes. "The evilest of them all- add all her people together, minus the fact she doesn't model but should; is a slut but doesn't show it like Sara; is smart in school but not as smart as Lyndze and isn't as rich as Alex. Add in some whore-ness, evil brains, and the ability to make anyone's life a living hell. And, oh look, there they come right now.  
  
Meiling almost fell over.  
  
Four girls came walking thorough the school doors. Done up in little size 2 mini skirts and designer tops, carrying purses, hair looking as if they had just gotten it professionally done and make up perfect. And, in the middle, there she was—pink pleaded skirt, tight white Roxy top showing stomach, brown heeled sandles and a matching brown Roxy purse over her shoulder. Make up done naturally; her black eyeliner more discreet than Sara's. Her hair left down freely, binder being carried by Matt Damon.  
  
The evil dictator of the school was Sakura Kinomoto.

* * *

I was surprised the day I saw Meiling Li while I walked down the hallway. At first, I couldn't believe it was her. In fact, I _didn't_ believe it was her—she changed most of her appearance. Instead of those annoying bun-pigtail things, she had her jet black hair down and grew out her bags so they hung towards the side of her face. She worked in red streaks towards the bottom layers—and looked pretty nice. Her skin had darkened—like a tan, you could say. But, those eyes had remained the same. Those ruby eyes haunted me from that day on.  
  
It took me until lunch to realize that Meiling was really Meiling. You see, when you're as popular as I was, you pretend losers aren't there. But, something made me glance at Tomoyo that day—even to this day I have no idea what it was. All I remember were those confused ruby eyes as I walked down the hall that day. But, you see, I couldn't let them get the better of me. I had a job to do that morning.

* * *

Meiling couldn't peel her eyes off of Sakura; the source of all evil used to be one of her best friends. Besides all the questions that were created in her head, one stood out.  
  
If Sakura was popular, why wasn't Tomoyo?  
  
And, then, just for a second she though Sakura's eyes traveled towards her.  
  
Tomoyo nudged Meiling. "If you look straight ahead, you'll see why even though they're so evil, they keep their power."  
  
Meiling watched with confused eyes as Sakura made a beeline for a girl who tried unsuccessfully to hide behind her friends.

* * *

Sakura walked up to her with Lyndze on her right, Sara on her left, and Alex beside Sara. She stopped in front of a red head, who looked like a prisoner who had just accepted their death sentence.   
  
Sakura smiled sweetly. "Hello, Jane."  
  
Jane gave a nervous nod. " H-hi, Sakura."  
  
"So, tell me Jane, do you like this school?"  
  
Jane threw a 'help me' glance towards her friends pitying looks. "Yes."  
  
Sakura looked from Lyndze to Sara and Alex. "It's ok to want to be popular you know."  
  
Jane paled. "I...wouldn't....I wouldn't know."  
  
Sakura smirked. "I think you do."  
  
Jane almost threw up.   
  
"You take the computers course?"  
  
Jane stood frozen.  
  
"Let's hope Tokyo High has a good one." Sara handed Sakura a slip of paper; long and narrow. On one side it had a swirly design {like a Sakura Card}and on the other side a picture of Jane. A target drawn around her face. Sakura took out a silver felt pen and wrote Jane's name across the top. Below her picture, the famous words 'you've been targeted' across the bottom. Sometimes, more was written. In Jane's case, 'thank you for the lovely information posted about me on the school site' was also included. She smiled as Jane, tear-filled eyes looked in horror at Sakura, quietly accepted the card.  
  
Jane had just been targeted, with, what had come to be known as a 'Target Card.'  
  
Sakura walked off, smiling to herself, as Jane's friends slowly walked off. If you associated with a target, you, too, became a target.

* * *

Meiling's face fell. "Tomoyo...what was that?"  
  
Tomoyo shrugged. "A Target Card."  
  
"A _what_?"  
  
"A Target Card. If you do anything to piss off The Barbies, as they we to call them, they give you a Target Card. It means they're going to make your life a living hell—until you crack. But, almost always, it's until you leave the school. The longest anyone survived in the case of which they want you to leave the school is, well, 4 months."  
  
"What did that girl do?"  
  
"Jane? She posted an article on the school site about the control of The Barbies, only because Sakura targeted her cousin a month ago. That was...yesterday, think. Yeah, it was posted yesterday. Though, most people read it already. Jane's considered a saint now—_no one_ stands up to them."  
  
Meiling looked horrified. "What are The Barbies going to do to her?"  
  
Tomoyo looked down. "Everything and anything. They make up plots and stuff. So far, to targets, they: mess social lives up, mess life up period, prank call about serious issues to parents, publicly embarrass, create true rumors, send embarrassing information around the school in various forms like emails, flyers, break them up if their coupled,tell the person's crush about them, but make it worse—it's pretty bad. I have no idea what they're going to do to Jane, though. No one does." Nikki, Rita and Chelsae nodded in agreement.  
  
Nikki put a hand on Meiling's shoulder. "Welcome to Tomoeda High."

* * *

Lyndze sat down in the seat beside Sakura. Sara and Alex sat across for them, adding up calories. "We have a new student."  
  
Alex dismissively waved her hand, still keeping her eyes on the wrapper in of the energy bar. "Meiling Li; transfer from Hong Hong; junior;home room 11-4; courses: pre-calculus, biology, chemistry, gym, English, Japanese, history, law, computers; friends with Daidoji. Anything else you wanna know Lyndz?"  
  
Lyndze shook her head. "She's in my pre-calculus class-"  
  
Alex look up. "Stop talking about pre-calculus. It's not attractive."  
  
Sakrua rolled her eyes. "Shut-up, both of you. We need to plot."  
  
Sara nodded. "For Janice."  
  
"_Jane_," Alex corrected. "You're so stupid Sara!" Sara simply shrugged.  
  
"No! For Meiling!," Sakura ran a hand through her hair.  
  
Lyndze opened a chewy bar. "What'd she ever do to you, Sakura?"  
  
"She's dangerous. She's going to try and take our popularity."  
  
Alex spit out her juice. "_What_? As if. Those red streaks are _so_ Avril Lavigne."  
  
Sakura leaned in. "I used to be her friend. I _know_ her, know her."  
  
"You used to be her friend. She's only been here 4 hours. And you already _know_ her? Wow, something bad must of happened between you two to be ex-friends so fast."  
  
Alex turned her head to look at Sara.  
  
Lyndze rolled her eyes. "So..what are we going to do?"  
  
Sara and Alex nodded in agreement.  
  
Sakura shrugged. "Crush her."  
  
Sara's eyes grew big. "Target Card?"  
  
"No—not yet. Let's see what she does first."  
  
Alex flipped her hair out of her face. "God, she's hanging around that Tomoyo girl. What a freak. Didn't we already target her? And her little poise?"  
  
Sakura shrugged. "Yeah. But, whatever. First we crush Jane...say minor pranks this week, a big one next week?," heads nodded in agreement. "Remember to keep an eye on Meiling, though. Alex?"  
  
"I'll keep my phone on vibrate, and keep my my text messaging open. My sources will inform me."  
  
Sakura leaned back. "Soon, Meiling Li will be gone."

* * *

Now, I'm sure you're wondering this: if I targeted Tomoyo and company, why weren't they gone? Well, it's complicated. First of all, even back then, part of me still hated the fact I had to target Tomoyo. I mean, she was my best friend, and even as I hurt her she never looked at me with hate—only pity. I guess that's the real reason why I couldn't look any of the people of friends of people I hurt in the eye. I was ashamed, somewhere, deep down.   
  
I couldn't bring myself to force Tomoyo out of the school. I couldn't. To this day, I still can't give a single reason. Was I too soft? Did I keep her there as a reminder of what I was doing to people? Did I still care for her as a friend somewhere deep down?  
  
But, I'll never forgive myself for what I did to her.

* * *

"So, guys, when did Sakura become so popular?," Meiling inquired. They sat outside that day in the grass field. It was a beautiful fall day.  
  
"When she ditched us," Nikki replied, voice filled with anger.  
  
Tomoyo looked away. "She didn't ditch us, she found new friends."  
  
Rita's eyes grew wide. "You're right Tomoyo, she didn't ditch us. First she humiliated us—humiliated _you_. Not to mention it was in front of the whole school. How can you blow this off, day after day, year after year? Open your eyes, honey—she's _not_ who she was."  
  
Tomoyo smiled. "I know. But, if you knew her like I did you wouldn't be saying that."  
  
"Tomoyo...," Meiling started, "what did she do to you?"  
  
Meiling was silent.   
  
Chelsae spoke up. "When Lyndze, Sara and Alex first became popular, they spotted Sakura—according to them she was popular girl material. But, before she could become one of them, she had to ditch her old friends. Sakura, I guess, was hurting from her family life back then—told us she was having problems with her father. These girls made her feel at home, and, well, I guess she liked that because within a month she made the decision to ignore us. Though, that's strictly a theory. Maybe Sakura had other reasons?  
  
When Tomoyo confronted Sakura in front of everyone in the cafeteria on why she was avoiding us, Sakura had to prove that she had ditched us—because, the way it was looking, it was like she was secretly still friends with us. In reality, Sakura just hadn't actually told us she wasn't friends with us anymore. She hoped we would get a hint. So, in front of everyone, Sakura blurted out a rumor. She said something like _Tomoyo, I'm not avoiding you. Maybe I'm just trying to get away from your camera!_ It was a joke we had made up when Sakura would run away from Tomoyo's camera because she was embarrassed and Tomoyo would pretend she was hurt and avoided. Anyway, her clique perceived it as an 'obsession with Sakura'. And, Sakura, encouraged by their approval, went on. _Yeah, no kidding, Tomoyo. It is like your obsessed with me. Like a lesbian thing or something.   
_  
That was when Sakura knew she said too much. Alex or someone must have blurted out _Tomoyo's a lesbian_ really loudly because up till now, it's still a rumor. After three years."  
  
Tomoyo looked away as Meiling put an hand on her shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me, Tomoyo? I would have come over and knocked some sense into her!"  
  
Tomoyo smiled. "It's alright Meiling. Really. One day, I'm sure we'll be friends again."  
  
Meiling's teasing eyes turned serious. "So, what are we going to do?"  
  
Rita looked gave Meiling a confused look. "What do you mean 'what are we going to do'?"  
  
"Sakrua is _not_ going to get away with this. She is _not_ going to continue to hurt us."  
  
Nikki shook her head. "You'll just get targeted."  
  
"Let them target me. I'm going no where. Sakura Kinomoto can stick those cards up her ass—she will _not_ be able to make me crack. So, let her give me Target Cards. I don't care. _She_ just pissed off the wrong person, _not_ the other way around."

* * *

Little did I know what war I was about to fight in. I guess the old saying was right.  
  
You pick your own battles. And as sure as hell, the day I created those target cards, hurt Tomoyo, and became popular I chose to fight whoever stood in my way.  
  
And, so is happened, that Meiling Li stood in my way.  
  
And, thus, the story began. 


	3. Chapter 2: What Goes Around Comes Around...

**

* * *

Rules of Popularity ....be careful who you fall in love with.  
Chapter 2: What Goes Around Comes Around and Around...**  
  
**A/N: This is a bit slow moving, as the other chapter was. Please, bear with me as I set up the plots!! Guys, I am soo sorry. I didn't even realize at first that Sakura-Tomoyo situation was an exact replica from Mean Girls!! I am SO sorry about this!! I mean, when I thought of the her camera and her obbession over Sakura, the word that poped into my head was 'lesbian'. Is there anything else from Mean Girls I should be aware of? Tell me in a review I will try and alter it somehow, but Tomoyo is still going to be accused as a lesbian because that's how I started this. Again I am soo sorry how it turned out!!! THANKS FOR TELLING ME GUYS!!  
  
I Give credit to Mean Girls from Chapters 1 about the Tomoyo situation.**

* * *

Lana Carter sighed; another student transferring. She ran a hand through her shoulder blond hair; as tired as she was, she needed to find out why Jane was leaving so suddenly. Never in her twenty years of being a principal for Tomoeda High had so many students transferred in the past three years. She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her forehead to ease her weariness.  
  
Jane had such good marks, especially in the computers area. Did she leave because Tokyo High had a better computers course? No. It was highly unlikely. It didn't explain the others who left just at the beginning of this year. Why were they losing so many students? The School Board wanted answers _now_. Was it a teacher? No, parents would complain to the Board. A course that wasn't meeting it's standards? No, parents would notify her. A student? Out of 900 students, could one of them really have ultimate control?  
  
Lana shook her head. No. This is a big school. The big school I run. The big school I run _without_ bullying.  
  
She pulled out a mirror and fixed her hair. Time to put on a strong front and smiled. Board meeting was about to start. But one thing bothered her still.  
  
What had Jane meant when she said, "I was a threat to the unwritten rules of popularity..."

* * *

"Alright, everyone. Okay, hi! I'd just like to say, this two-week class is required by all juniors. It helps with learning about the play Romeo and Juliet you will be taking in English this term..."  
  
I sat beside Sara, tapping my foot over and over again against the hardwood floor of the auditorium. I hated this! Why should we have to use one one period a cycle to act out the play we're doing in _English_?! Notice I didn't say Drama. Drama's for losers who want acne from all that stage make-up.  
  
"...so, why don't we start off with some icebreakers so I can get to know you all? Now, I know you know each other, but there are some non-Drama kids here, so I think we could all use a little icing. Get it? Icing? _Icing_ as in _ice_breakers?"  
  
It was going to be a long class.  
  
"Sara?" Sara looked at Sakura with a blank stare. Not doubt she wasn't following. Again. "Look, Sara, wanna ditch this class?"  
  
Sara looked around before answering. "But we're going to get icing," she whispered.  
  
Sakura shook her head. "Never mind..." God, why wasn't Alex here? Maybe if I sneak out, I can get Alex to come-  
  
"...Kinomoto Sakura?"  
  
"What?," Sakura answered a bit too loudly, as she turned her gaze towards the person who called her name.  
  
"Oh, hi! I'm Ms. Daniels!," the teacher gave a little wave. Sakura half-smiled back. "And you, Ms. Kin-o-mo-to, since your the last person, you can be in a group of three with Daidoji Tomoyo and Li Meiling. Now, I'm going be back in ten minutes, so with your partner I want you introduce yourself, and find out the following things..."  
  
"_What_?," Sakura said again, but Ms. Daniels wasn't listening. Sakura turned her head towards Meiling who was smirking right back at her 'superior'. This could not be happening."Someone pinch me... **OW**!"  
  
Sakura turned her head down towards her arm to glare at a confused Sara with an out reached hand.

* * *

"Sakura, Meiling, Tomoyo; Tomoyo, Meiling, Sakura," Sakura said clapping her hands in delight. "Okay, we're done."  
  
Meiling rolled her eyes. "Can't you even play along with it, Kinomoto? Can't you lower your pride and act civil?"  
  
Sakura glared. "I_ am_ civil. Just not to _you_."  
  
Tomoyo interrupted. "My favorite thing to do is sing and make videos."  
  
Meiling swallowed back her up coming out-bursts. "Martial Arts." They both looked at Sakura.  
  
_Who the hell did Martial Arts as a hobby? Yuck...major athlete's body!_ "Does anyone have an interesting and normal hobby to contribute?"  
  
Meiling's eyes narrowed. "Why you-," but was cut off my Tomoyo's look. She slowly released her breath. "My favorite subject is Gym."  
  
Tomoyo nodded. "Music."  
  
Sakura looked at them strangely. "No comment," her voice the I'm-better-than-you kind. Meiling glared. If Tomoyo weren't here...  
  
Tomoyo looked at the list. "Alright, our goals for this year. Mine's to hit that C sharp in the song I'm working on."  
  
"To teach a bitch a lesson," Meiling grumbled standing up.  
  
Sakura narrowed her eyes as she pushed out her chair and begun to stand up. "To send Meiling to Tokyo High. No—wait—back to Hong Kong." Sakura stood level with Meiling now.  
  
Tomoyo grabbed her water bottle and took a sip. She stood up to stop the on coming war—but tripped over Sakura's out pushed chair that was now in the middle of the circle as she tried to take a step forward. Unlucky for her, the water hit Sakura right on the middle of her blouse.  
  
Sakura looked down at her water logged blouse as some of the boys hooted.. "You...you..._lesbian_," she cried. "Look at my blouse—it's ruined! What's the matter Daidoji, can't control yourself? Do you have to be so close to me?"  
  
Tomoyo's eyes watered. "I'm sorry, Sakura. It was an accident-"  
  
"_Accident_?" For all I know you planned this!" Mummers were heard around the auditorium. Sakura glanced once again at the ruined blouse, then back up at Tomoyo. "What—do you _like_ seeing my shirt all see through? Well aren't you in luck today—it's even _white_!" Tomoyo now had tears in her eyes as the whispers turned into conclusions.  
  
_ 'So the rummor was true! I can't believe it—I was her partner for a project! And, you know, she was always sitting close to me!'  
  
'Do you think she was looking down my shirt when I was her partner for strength training in gym class?'  
  
'It is weird how she's always filming people here! Poor Sakura...'_  
  
Meiling felt anger as she watched her friends eyes spill tears. "SHE'S NOT A LESBIAN! What's wrong with you, Sakura?"  
  
"I'm straight and don't like to be looked at that way..._or filmed by her_," Sakura retorted. Meiling didn't even recognize the person who answered her.  
  
Tomoyo ran out of the auditorium. Meiling's eyes became cold, as she walked right up to Sakura. "No, Sakura. You don't liked to be looked at as weak and unpopular. You're only concerned about making yourself look good at the expense of others. You don't really think she's a lesbian, you and I both know that."  
  
Sakura looked at Meiling, but addressed the other students around her."Does any other girl want to be looked at this way?," She demanded. Every by-stander nodded or mumbled their approval.  
  
Meiling leaned in closer, eyes icy."You're playing with the wrong person Sakura. I'm warming you."  
  
Sakura leaned in, also."And _I'm_ warning _you_ Meiling—the last person who played with me played with fire—and burnt themselves all the way to Tokyo High."  
  
Meiling's knuckles grew white as she gritted her teeth. "Let you force me to Tokyo High? Over my dead body."  
  
Sakura leaned in closer, so their fore heads were only centimeters apart. "We'll see, Meiling."  
  
Meiling gave Sakura one final glare. She wanted to stay and lash out at Sakura, but Tomoyo needed a friend right now. She left the school building, looking for her.  
  
But, what she found cut deep.  
  
Tomoyo sat by the water fountain outside the school grounds, tears running down her cheeks, as she watched her camera lay in the water, the start of all the hurtful words Sakura spread.  
  
No more did the thought of waiting for the opportune moment to attack Sakura stay in her head. Kinomoto has pushed her too far this time. Kinomoto. That's right. She didn't even deserve to be called by her first name, she wasn't a friend to anyone but the other brainwashed Barbies.  
  
Meiling leaned against the wall of the school, out of sight from Daidoji. She let herself fall to the ground as she buried her face in her hands. She needed a better plan. And fast. A plan to take those Barbie Dolls down. But how?

* * *

"Hey, Sakura!," Lyndze greeted in her almost always cherry voice, the next day at school. "You're here early. You usually don't arrive this early unless you're here on....business." Three years of being a 'Barbie' as she still couldn't bring herself to say anything direct about targeting.  
  
"Hey, Lyndz. Oh, I know. I am about 20 minutes early today. Actually I'm waiting for Matt—he was supposed to meet me here, but had to do a football thing. God, I told him this was important and he leaves me for football!" She paused and tilted her head to the side, composure regained. "You're here early too—is something going on? You had to meet a teacher or something?"  
  
Lyndze bit her lip. "No...actually I just come here early most days, anyway." She couldn't tell Sakura—no matter how good of friends they were—that she comes in to work with a math teacher so she can get a scholarship in mathematics to an American university the next year.  
  
Sakura nodded, as she rummaged thorough her purse. Some more of the early students began to arrive. "Damn...I forgot in Alex's car!"  
  
"Forgot what?"  
  
"Oh, my cell phone. I just got a new one, so I need Alex to do all her fancy background and phone tone stuff to it."  
  
Lyndze simply nodded. Her parents couldn't afford to buy her a cell phone—hell, she couldn't afford one either. Her part-time job as a tutor just covered the cost of her brand name clothes, hair/nail appointments and make up products.  
  
Sakura noted the un-comfortablenesses between them. "Hey, if you see Matt, tell him I waited here but had to go and he can meet me in homeroom whenever he's done. Oh, and can you see if my answers are right on this paper? If they aren't just change them, alright? Make sure to show all the work, so I get full marks and to make your 8's and 9's clear, but not too clear you know? It's how I write them." Sakura handed her a piece of paper and walked off without a thank you.  
  
"Sure thing..." Lyndze said, scanning Sakura's wrong answers, as she made her way towards her locker. Was it her, or did Sakura use her sometimes?  
  
Lyndze watched as Sakura left the building, heading towards Alex's car—the silver sports car Alex was talked into letting her use. She opened her locker door, but something caught her eye. A blood red slip of paper, that was just smaller than a regular piece of paper, had obviously obviously been inserted thought the vents and the top of the door. It was folded in half with nothing on the visible areas. Lyndze open it up and scanned the words that were typed across the paper, eyes growing bigger with every word.. When she hit the picture at the end, all that was heard were the sound of her books hitting the floor.

* * *

Sakura, upon going back to Alex's car, realized that she forgot the cell phone at home. Good thing it was only 5 minutes away. "It's all this earliness that's making me so forgetful. Maybe I'll take Alex's credit card for a little trip to the spa on Saturday..."  
  
She got back into the silver sports car and drove back to her house, oblivious to what chaos was stirring inside the school as more and more students arrived.

* * *

Tomoyo Daidoji took a deep breath before entering the school building that day; who knows what kind of humiliation she would have to live through today? But there was nothing worse than going back to school, so if she lived though today, she could live until graduation.  
  
She slowly opened the door to the noisy hallway, but within seconds all was quiet. People were whispering to one another. Quiet whispers, but Tomoyo could still make out the words.  
  
_ "Did Daidoji do it?"_  
  
_ "No way! Tomoyo pull something like this?"  
  
"But, you have to admit—she is the person who used to be Kinomoto's best friend."  
  
"Do you think she's going to get away with it?"  
  
"Maybe—but, won't Sakura know? Tomoyo was the only person who would have know this..."_  
  
Tomoyo smiled nervously at people who looked her way. What were they talking about? She spotted Rita first, her face all excited. "Rita, what's-"  
  
"You'll never guess what Meiling did. Here. Read," Rita held the red piece of paper in front of Tomoyo.

* * *

Small giggles came from various people as Sakura entered the school grounds. She looked around at what people were staring at, before around before noticing everyone held a blood red slip of paper in their hands. Picking one up off the ground, she brushed off the dirt. Again, Sakura scanned the crowd, before slowly looking down at the paper in her hand, losing color with every word.  
  
_Why don't we get together to watch all the movie you willingly stared for back in middle school? Did you like wearing all of the flashy costumes that were size 9? So sorry I didn't listen when you trued to tell me that you wanted them a size bigger because you couldn't breathe. Just too bad you had to diet so far down to a size 2! I mean, all that throwing up mustn't have been good for your stomach.  
  
{Picture of Sakura in grade 6 in a flashy costume made by Tomoyo beside a recent photo—the difference in waist is noticeable.}  
  
Bring it on Kinomoto. You've been marked. I'm bringing you down once and for all.  
_  
Sakura looked up. She looked around at the other students looking at her. Everyone believed this shit? That she actually threw up? That she wanted to wear that even-hell-would-deem-ugly costume? That she complained about it being to tight? That she was actually a size 9? Sure she had to lose weight...by DIETING _NOT_ THROWING UP to fit into a size 2...but a size 9? Surely people would know that she hadn't lost that much weight.  
  
But, they didn't. Most of the kids never knew her in middle school. And what made it worse, they believe this piece of paper. The look in their eyes told her they believed it.  
  
Just like they easily believed the rumor about Tomoyo.  
  
What goes around comes around.  
  
Sakura's eyes burned with fire as her hand crunched around the piece of paper in her hand. Meiling. This has to be Meiling.  
  
_ "Come to think of it, she _did _lose weight."  
  
"What if she's a lesbian too? She _did _willingly star in Tomoyo's movies..."_  
  
She made her way back to the silver sports car, getting in. She drove at warp speed to her house, which was only about a 5 minute drrive. Running up the stairs, she went into a dresser drawer and opened a box with everyone in the school's photo. She quickly found the photo she was looking for. Sixth graders Tomoyo and Meiling smiled at Sakura who took the photo. She found a glue stick and a swiss army knife that were buried under other photos. She used the scissors in the knife to cut the picture in half, gluing the half she kept and grabbed a blank target card, and stamped a target on the head of the dark haired girl. She grabbed a pink gel marker and ran back to her car, speeding all the way back to school.  
  
So, Meiling thought she could ruin her rep so easily? Well, she had another thing coming after her.

* * *

Tomoyo shook her head. "No, no! This isn't true, Rita! This is just going as low-"  
  
Rita covered Tomoyo's mouth. "Not so loud! Oh, here comes Meiling!"  
  
Meiling walked up to the group, smile wide upon her face. "So, how's this going? Has Kinomoto gotten here yet? Has she seen the papers?"  
  
Chelsae and Nikki came up to the group to report a negative on Kinomoto's arrival, but the slamming of a door stopped them. There stood Sakura, eyes on fire, holding a marker, a card and purse. Everyone on the hallway parted to the side as Sakura narrowed her eyes as everyone. Meiling, off to the side, simply smiled as whispered, "I guess she has..."  
  
"WHERE IS SHE?," Sakura demanded, voice echoing throughout the hallway. She scanned the crowd, eyes resting on Meiling who walked out in plain view as Sakura stormed up to her.  
  
"Ah, yes, I see you've read my little notice. I just thought everyone might want to remember you as a healthy person before you go on over to Tokyo High," her voice dripping with false innocence.  
  
Sakura leaned closer. "Watch your mouth, Li. What goes around, comes around. All the way around."  
  
Meiling smiled. "As I suppose you've found out this morning. So how does it feel Kinomoto? To be the victim for once? But, the real question is, what are you gonna do about it? Throw a card in my face? A big scary pink card?"  
  
Sakura shrugged. "Actually, yes." Sakura lifted it up and wrote a few words on it. "But, I'm not giving it to you." She turned to face the people behind Meiling, as she extended the hand with the card in it towards Tomoyo.  
  
Meiling felt her heart beat faster as tears stung her eyes. "Keep her out of this, Kinomoto. She didn't make those slips of paper. I did."  
  
Sakura smiled. "Then you should have kept out of it, Li. Tomoyo can thank you now. Doesn't trying to hurt me seem useless if all that comes from is your pain and my victory?" The first bell rang. Sakura smiled once more and walked off.  
  
She was unstoppable. And if Meiling tried once more to stop her, it would just end in another target card. Maybe she'd pick on that bookworm, Nikki...

* * *

Meiling ran out of the school. She held in her hand, a pink card, words of the pink gel marker smudged with Daidoji's tears. She finally stopped out of breath behind a tree in the school yard, lowering her head so she could read the card.  
  
_You should have told her to stay out of it. Don't blame yourself, Tomoyo. It's not your fault—it's Meiling's. I didn't want to do this, but I'm sure you understand. This is completely Meiling's fault. You can thank her.  
  
{Picture of Tomoyo with a target stamped around her head.}  
  
You've been targeted. Or, should I say marked?  
  
After all, she marked you too._  
  
Meiling let the tears fall. By attacking Kinomoto, she hurt Daidoji twice as bad. This was low—even for Sakura. She was playing a twisted game, she saw that now. Why hadn't she had been smarter? She knew that Kinomoto would get her back like that...  
  
But no. It's too late to turn back. She had to get her before she hurt Daidoji. Or any of the others. But, how?  
  
Just like she had decided on before. The same way Sakura attacked. This game had no rules—it was anarchy, full of backstabbing, which left plently of ways to hit the target. No longer was she going to plan around her friends—she was going to plan around herself. As long as she didn't get hurt, nothing would stop her. Daidoji would see that in the end, when Sakura was gone.  
  
Practice round was over Kinomoto.  
  
Meiling got up and ran to the nearest payphone. She pressed 0 over and over until the operator answered.  
  
"I'd like to make a collect call to Hong Kong..." 


	4. Chapter 3: The Popular Syaoran Li

**Rules of Popularity ...be careful who you fall in love with.**

**Chapter 3: The Popular Syaoran Li.**

To the reviewers of chapter 3:

**melon-heart**: Oh I think we ALL know who Meiling's calling alright! Hehe!! Thanks for the review!!

**SS43v3r**: Thank you sooo much for a second review! I'm really happy you like the story so far!!

**sweetlove73**: Thanks for another review!! Is Meiling calling Syaoran-kun? This chapter has the answer!!

**Ai-Yung**: Thanks for the review!! I'm very glad you think it's original at the same time!! Don't worry; Syaoran shall make his appearance soon!

**yams41**: Sakura go down? Oh, I'm going to drag this girl all the way to hell and back!! Will she be perfect in the end? I'm not too sure if you mean as in like all nice and stuff and loved because she's so nice, because if that's what you're referring to, I'm going to have a twist to my ending.

To the reviewers of chapters 1-2:** meangirls, Blah, Serenity's Blam**. THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS!!!!

* * *

I hope Meiling Li rots in hell.

Didn't hear me? Why don't I break it down.

_I. Hope. Meiling. Li. Rots. In. **Hell**._

Confession time: you know when I said I have a _little_ crush on her cousin, Syaoran Li?

It was more of a _big crush_.

That's right, you heard me. A big crush. In fact, I think I had fallen in love. Scratch that—I _did _fall in love. And then the traitor left me—just after he asked me out the summer of grade 6! With no letters or anything, but still, why did I still have feelings for him? I thought I loved Matt now, the person who has the same name as that actor!—but it was different. It was more..._fake_ with him.

If only Syaoran hadn't complicated this.

In fact, I'm staring at the back of his evil, head of drop dead beautiful messy chocolate brown hair loathing the fact he could just—poof!—come between me and Matt _just like that_. It wasn't fair—okay, so I know he's a good player, but it did _not_ give him the right to be on the senior team!

And, what makes it that much worse?

Meiling is sitting behind me, staring at my beautifully styled hair—that took a hour to straighten—loving the fact, that I was loathing the fact, that Syaoran Li could piss me off and I couldn't do a damn thing about it. Life—seating plans, to be exact—can be so cruel sometimes.

Let's rewind the day back to yesterday, the day I learned what the word deja vu really meant.

* * *

"You called _who_?," Tomoyo demanded. She stood outside in the school yard behind behind a tree; far away from the rest of the school.

"I have the best plan ever-"

"Look, Meiling, we all know—except for Sakura, that is—that he liked Sakura_ a lot_. Bringing him here would just upset him. Don't bring him here—don't even tell him anything! I want him to remember Sakura as the girl she was—not who she is now."

"Tomoyo! Quit being her cheerleader! She's in the wrong—there's no two ways around that. Now, how does Sakura attack? In a way she can't be found out by a teacher, but still everyone knows it's her. So, that got me thinking. How about we play Sakura at her own game? We'll use her techniques against her. Rumors, pranks, humiliation. Now, here's where it gets good. Not only will we be having like an all out war here—but, we're gonna bring her down for good. First step: break up her relationship with Matt."

Tomoyo sighed. "And how will you bring down the impossible? They've been together for a long time."

Meiling smirked. "Easy. I'll make something come between them."

"Like...?"

"Sakura hates me equals Sakura hates anyone who's friends with me. Right?"

"Yeah..."

Meiling's eyes turned playful. "Wait until you see what's—or, should I say—_who's_ going to come between them."

* * *

"Hey, great show out there. You can really play," Matt said, slapping the other guy on his back. "Now...I don't usually do this for juniors—actually, my boy Eriol is the only other expection—but, do you wanna play for the senior team? Now, before you answer, the three teams in out school are the freshman & sophomore, junior and senior. If you played for the junior, you'd defiantly be quarterback. You play on our team, and you'd be just a mid-field, maybe offense or defense. But, it works out for next year if you stay—you just might find yourself captain and quarterback. So...what do you say?"

The boy shrugged. It wasn't up to him—it was up to Matt. "If you think I'm good enough..."

Matt grinned. "Welcome to the team, Syaoran."

* * *

"Who's going to come between them?"

"I was thinking, Syaoran?"

Tomoyo laughed. "Yes—I'm sure they'll except a relation to you into their little circle. Besides Syaoran's in _China_!"

Meiling looked down.

"Wait! In order for him to do that he has to...be...here...MEILING LI YOU DIDN'T!!"

"Yes, Tomoyo. I did. I brought him here, to Japan."

Tomoyo threw her hands up. "So he can witness you bringing down the girl he was head-over-heels for?!"

Meiling shook her head. "You're forgetting one thing. Syaoran can play a damn good game of football. In fact, he's in tryouts right now! In no time, he'll be on the senior team. That Eriol guy is. And then, he'll come between Sakura and Matt. Besides, maybe he'll get a scholarship! This school has good sports teams..."

Tomoyo blushed at Eriol's name, but quickly shook it off. "Yeah, but, still—Sakura will get Matt to put him on the junior team."

"I thought about that. Maybe—just _maybe—_if he's good enough, he won't take him off."

Tomoyo shrugged. Syaoran was already here; might as well give Meiling's plan a shot. "Okay, let's say he's on. Then what?"

"All I need him to do is be on the team! Don't you get it!! Sakura will want him _off_, Matt will want him _on_! See, it's simple. And besides, he is a listener. He picks everything up, so maybe he'll invoke some inspiration for further destruction!"

Tomoyo sighed. "He's never going to do it, Meiling. He likes her too much. When you tell Syaoran you want him to break up Sakura and Matt- "

"Oh—don't worry. He won't even know what he's doing. In fact, once they're broken up, I promise that I'll send him with a one-way ticket back to Hong Kong. I just need to get her back good for hurting you like that a few days ago."

Tomoyo raised her eyebrows. "And how, might I ask, are you going to work it out so he doesn't even know what he's doing?"

Meiling smirked. "We're not going to tell him. He's here to simply get noticed by scouts. Can he help it if he's that good?"

* * *

"You're the new player, huh?," a voice called out. Syaoran looked up from where he sat on the bench in the locker room. A blue-haired boy with azure colored eyes and glasses stood against a locker, a jacket identical to the one he was wearing in his arms.

"Yeah. Syaoran."

"Eriol."

Syaoran nodded. "The only other junior on the team, besides myself."

"Matt told you, eh? So, where you from? Tokyo High?"

"Hong Kong, actually."

Eriol's eyebrows criss crossed themselves in confusion. People just didn't just transfer from Hong Kong everyday. The two countries spoke completely different languages! But, this guy's Japanese was really good. Kind of like that Meiling girl who just came from China."You transferred here to play football?"

Syaoran finished tying up his shoe before looking up. "Yeah, I guess. My cousin told me that this school had a good team, better than my old school. Besides, a lot of my childhood friends are here as well."

Eriol slowly nodded. "Who's your cousin?"

"Meiling Li. Do you know her?"

Eriol smirked. "I think everyone does."

Syaoran stood up and began to put on his school blazer.

"Wear this instead." Eriol threw Syaoran the jacket. "You only have to wear the blazer to Day 1, Assembly Day. The other 5 Day's you can wear that."

Syaoran looked down at what Eriol threw at him. "What is it?"

"It's the team jacket. The Tomoada Tornadoes. Wear that jacket for the rest of the day. In fact, wear it everyday."

"What—why? It's kind of reminds me of that Jock look..."

Eriol, already turned around and out of the locker room, was laughing at the denseness of his new teammate.

Syaoran chased after Eriol, stopping him a few feet away from where they were once standing. "What did I say?"

Eriol looked Syaoran up and down. "Here's my advice: if you want to play football for the rest of of time here, I suggest you learn how to be one of us _Jocks_. And fast. I'll even tip you off with your first lesson: wear that jacket everyday," he said pointing at the jacket in Syaoran's arms.

"How fucked up is that...," Syaoran muttered under his breath.

Eriol's eyes widened a bit. This kid honestly didn't know anything. "Wear the damn jacket because, yes, this school is fucked up beyond belief."

Syaoran rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Alright, I'll wear it!" He sighed. Meiling never said _anything_ about wearing this Jock jacket. It was so pointless! "I don't see why though; I mean, who's going to notice!"

Eriol nodded in the direction of a group of girls. "Them."

Syaoran looked behind him as the girls giggled. "Oh. Great. I'm going to wear this jacket so I can look good for some retarded girl."

Eriol smirked. Not only were those girls Sara Greenwell and Alex Bolton, two of the infamous Doll's, but they were _really_ good looking—every single hot guy noticed when they were being looked at by girls. And were those girls ever checking himout. There was only one exception when a guy didn't notice."So, who is she?"

Syaoran put the jacket on, smoothing out the front."Who's _who_? Look, I need _complete phrases_..."

"A guy always knows when he's being checked out, especially when it's one of the Barbie Doll's!—_except_ when they're head over heels for a girl. "So, who is she?"

Syaoran looked away. Was it that obvious he hadn't gotten over Sakura? Maybe his sisters were right when they said it was suspicious when he didn't date. "No one."

Eriol arched an eyebrow. "You're already over your head, aren't you?"

Syaoran didn't even bother asking how Eriol knew that. _Syaoran_ knew that he never wrote Sakura; took off without saying bye and still didn't have the guts to say sorry. "I don't like her or anything—in fact I used to be best friends with her until I moved—I'm just here cause my cousin told me that she wanted me to play football because of scouts, like I, uh, said before..."

Eriol remained silent.

"I'm not sure if you know her.....uh....Sakura Kinomoto?"

Eriol's eyebrows simply went up. "I was wrong—you're not in over your head. You've already drown."

* * *

Lyndze walked out the door of the principals office. She sighed; Ms. Carter was beginning to wonder why Lyndze wanted a second part time job. If only she didn't need a signature from her! How could she explain to Ms. Carter that she needed another manicure just because she was part of the highest social group?

Lyndze would never burden her parents with buying her that; not when they _just_ payed the bills every month. Lost in thought, she ran right into Meiling and a guy she had never seen before, as her papers flew all over the place.

Lyndze rolled her eyes as she began to pick them up. God, why did working as a waitress require so many papers? The guy bent over and passed some of them to the brunette as Meiling reached out to catch one, scanned in briefly as a smile began making it's way up her cheeks, and handed it back to the Doll. The Doll who was working her second part time job. Wasn't Lyndze supposed to be rich? This would come in handy.

Lyndze glanced at the Tomoeda High football jacket the guy beside her had on. She silently made room for the stuck up Meiling Li to pass through, but not before reading the name across the guy's sleeve. _Syaoran Li._

Who was this guy? A brother? Maybe. He was on the senior football team. That would make him a senior, right? But who the hell transferred schools in their senior year? Must be a junior like Eriol was.

_Eriol_.

Lyndze smiled at his name and walked off happier than she was before.

* * *

Sakura walked up to Sara and Alex; well, technically only Alex as Sara was making out with a computer nerd so he'd do her assignments for her. Alex motioned to the desk to the right she'd saved for her; Japanese class was always so boring. Especially first period in the morning. Good thing Alex talked their teacher into letting them sit in the back.

"Hey, Sakura, hear about the new football player?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, is he hot?"

Alex nodded. "Very. _And_ he's a junior. Rumor says he'll be captain next year."

Sakura raised her eyebrows approvingly. "Well, I _am_ looking for a fling..."

Sara came back to her desk beside Sakura, fixing her smudged lip gloss. "Save some of him for me, Sakura. And guess what! I'm getting an A in Computer Aid Design this semester!"

Sakura twirled her pencil and willed lunch to come faster; she needed to meet this new player.

* * *

Syaoran walked down the hall, girls flashing him flirtatious smiles, guys wanting to punch him badly. He quickened his pace and concentrated on the floor. Where the hell was Room 145?

He flagged down the closest person. "Where is Room 145, Senior Calculus..."

The red head ran a hand down his chest. "I know a _quiet_, room for the two of us, _much_ better than Room 145. I also know a subject _much_ more interesting than Calculus I'm sure you'll _enjoy_ a lot better..." Syaoran awkwardly smiled before turning around and crashing straight into the girl Meiling and him had seen earlier.

Syaoran bent down to pick up her books. "I'm, so, so sorry."

The girl flashed him a smile of perfect white teeth, as if whitened by _Crest Whitestrips_. "It's alright. Really."

Syaoran reached for the binder, but not before scanning her schedule. "You're in Senior Calculus? Room 145?"

The girl stood up to face Syaoran. "Yeah..."

Syaoran flashed her a smile. "I take Senior Calculus 12-1, too. And, well, I can't find the room..."

The girl smiled, also. "I'll show you. Oh," she transferred books over to the other hand, "I'm Lyndze Johnson."

"Syaoran Li," he smiled and shook her hand.

Lyndze walked beside him down the hallway. "You on the Senior Team?," she asked, pointing to his jacket.

Syaoran nodded. "Yeah, tried out this morning."

Lyndze rounded a corner, followed by Syaoran. "Sorry, this may sound odd, but _are_ you a senior, right? Meiling Li's brother of something?"

"No, I'm a junior. Me and Meiling are only cousins...is this the room?"

Lyndze nodded.

"Thanks for helping me out," Syaoran said as Lyndze walked through the door.

"No problem," she said with an over the shoulder wave and took off for her seat at the far end of the classroom.

Syaoran walked into Senior Calculus, she saw many members of the football team already seated, talking. Like Eriol has said, they were all wearing their jackets. Speaking of Eriol...

There he was. Sitting beside a guy named Drake, looking over a sheet of paper.

"Eriol?," Syaoran called out.

Eriol looked up.

"You're a junior. What are you doing here?"

"I could say the same to you."

"I only take calculus because I'm good in math and ahead—did grade 11 over the summer, so I take higher the higher course. Doesn't explain you, though."

Eriol shrugged. "Wanna get out of this school as fast as possible. That's why I'm relying on a football scholarship this season."

"Why? Wouldn't it make more sense to take the courses over two years and get better marks?," Syaoran said, taking the seat next to him.

"My marks are mid 90's, even a couple 98's-99's-100's in the subjects I need to show for university entrance. So, to do the work over two years would just make my average, say, 2% higher. It's not worth it when you loath coming to school everyday."

Syaoran raised his eyebrows, turning his gaze towards the boy. "For someone who get those marks, you obviously don't loath coming to school."

"But I loath the people who make up my social circle." Eriol stated, as the teacher walked in, telling the class to quiet down. Syaoran shook his head. This was defiantly one weird class.

* * *

Sakura sat in the lunch room beside Lyndze. Sara was on the other side. She shaped her nails with her nail file as Lyndze was telling Sara why she failed the last math test. Alex who just entered the cafeteria, oblivious to her surroundings, continued to fight over her cell with a manager from Roxy.

"Look, Sara, I told you that if you would just add these two together first-"

"Lyndze, do my index fingernails look even?," Sakura interrupted comparing the two beside each other.

"Very even," Lyndze replied, not even looking, giving up on trying to help Sara with math.

Alex came up beside Sakura, sitting down, obviously mad as she turned off her cell phone."What the fuck? I mean, seriously, I am not going to model along side Hailey Smith—did you know that girl is half a size smaller than me? And they want to put her in the black and me in the white! I don't want to look fat! Wait until my agent hears about-"

"Aren't you already a double zero, Alex?," Lyndze asked looking up from her food. If she had to sit through one more of Alex's tantrums...

"Hailey's smaller!" Alex answered rolling her eyes. "And don't eat that! Do you want to get all fat?," Alex said, grabbing Lyndze's cookies and chocolate milk leaving her only with a orange.

Lyndze looked up in astonishment. "That was my lunch Alex!"

"No, that is," Alex said pointing towards the orange. "See? A juice and food all in one."

"Can I have my stuff back now?"

"No! Look, sweetie, you can eat five bags of chips all at once, or over the course of five days, but in the end you still ate five bags of chips. Model's motto."

Lyndze swallowed back an outburst as she picked up her orange. She needed to be popular more than she needed to save her family a few dollars...

...or was it the other way around?

Sakura stood up. "I need to go find Matt. Remind him it's our two year anniversary soon. And check out that hot new junior. Maybe he's just what I need," she said with a wink. Only one thing was bothering her...

Why has Meiling Li been smiling her way the whole day as if she knew something Sakura didn't?

* * *

"Thanks," a male voice said. "This will help a lot with planning around practice. In my old school, they never gave us schedules this far in advance."

Matt Damen grinned. "So, how does it feel to be the second most popular guy in Tomoeda High, Syaoran?"

Syaoran shrugged. "I'm not popular."

"Everyone's talking about you. Saying you got a thing for Lyndze Johnson."

Syaoran shook his head. "I don't."

Matt patted Syaoran's back. "It's alright. I know you and Eriol are friends, but don't worry. He dumped Lyndze _way_ back. Almost a month ago! So don't be worried man! You're not stealing her or anything! Besides, Eriol graduates this year, anyway. So, it's not like you have to be worried about who becomes captain next year anyway—it'll be you."

Syaoran nodded. He learned that morning in Calculus when Matt raised his hand to ask why people put an "x" instead of the number that he should simply nod and smile. "Thanks, I, uh, I'll remember that."

Matt punched his shoulder once again and walked off to find their coach.

* * *

Sakrua rounded a corner and saw the back of a lone figure standing by a bleacher. Brown hair, 5'11 frame, football jacket. She giggled. Matt probably forgot it was lunch and was here for practice of something. Matt was always stupid like that. She tip toed up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. The startled guy turned around, making Sakura release her grip and take a few steps back.

It wasn't Matt's blue eyes that met Sakura's.

The new junior was no other than Syaoran Li.


	5. Chapter 4: English Class Daydreams

**Rules of Popularity ...be careful who you fall in love with.**

**Chapter 4: English Class Daydreams **

"_All things and all people in life have to sink or swim on their own merits, not their reputation; just as a wise man can say a foolish thing, and fool can say something wise_. Who spoke those words?," Kaho Mizuki, 39, looked around the classroom for any hands going up.

She had been a High School level English teacher for the past 15 years (before she had been a substitute for grade school)—and this was always the first thing she asked the class. Not that anyone knew who spoke it; no on ever did, but it had a deeper meaning that she wanted to get across to all those quitters, lower than potential students, air heads who think their better than everyone else and people who believe themselves to be more than they are.

Her eyes stopped on a girl with short brown hair, obviously not paying any attention, staring daggers, at the boy with brown hair in front of her as if she wanted to kill him. A girl with jet black hair with red streaks, behind the brunette, was staring at the brunette's head, smirking, as if she knew something nobody else did. And the boy looked like he hadn't gotten over some sort of shock. She quickly glanced at the seating plan she had created. Third row, last three in the back, desks 6, 7,8.

_Syaoran Li, Sakura Kinomoto, Meiling Li._

She noted for future reference that something was happening between those three. But, now back on track. "Alright, class, if you don't know who said it, can anyone tell me what it means? How about ...Kinomoto Sakura?"

* * *

The day Syaoran Li became popular was yesterday, the day you have just relived. The day I wanted to personally pull the trigger on Meiling Li. The day I thought Matt was Syaoran.

So, here I am, still staring at the back of Syaoran's head, currently reliving the moment I found out the popular junior I wanted to have a fling with was no other but _him_!

God I want to erase that day. It keeps playing through my mind like a broken record...

* * *

"S-S-akura?," Syaoran spit out as he watched the girl take a few steps back. "Kinomoto, Sakura?"

Sakrua froze as he looked her up and down. She shook her head and raised an arm to push back her bangs that were falling on her forehead. _This is NOT happening. Not now. WHY did he come back?_ The answer was all to clear.

Meiling Li. She was the reason he was back. _But, why? What could she be doing with him?_

Sakura's eyes landed on his jacket. His football jacket. His senior team football jacket that made him almost as popular as herself. Sakura's eyes widened as the realization that she had just come to.

Meiling Li just made Syaoran Li popular. And there wasn't damned thing she could do about it.

Syaoran took a step forward towards the girl. "Are you alright?"

Sakura glared at Syaoran. "No, I'm _not_ alright! Do I look alright, Li?," she snapped.

Syaoran frowned. Sakura never talked to anyone like that. Could it be possible this wasn't Sakura? Maybe a girl who looked like her? But she knew his name! She could have maybe read it off his jacket...

Sakura rolled her eyes as he tried to figure out if it was her. Wasn't it obvious? How dense was the down right good looking Syaoran Li? Wait a second...good looking?! "God, Syaoran! Yes, I'm Sakura! You've known me since kindergarten!"

Syaoran's eyes widened. _This_ was Sakura Kinomoto? The girl he had fallen in love with all those years ago? "How...how are you Sakura?"

Sakura slapped her forehead. "_Kinomoto_, Li. I'm feeling _very_ terrible at the moment or could you not tell?!"

Syaoran looked down as the word _Kinomoto_ ran through his head. She wanted to be called....Kinomoto. She called him...Li. He shook it off. "Of course I could tell something was wrong! I'm just...kind Did you not just jump on me earlier?"

Sakura shrugged. "Matt told me that he was waiting here and..." _Wait! Sakura! You CANNOT just admit you made a mistake in front of him! He'll tell Meiling which equals YOUR downfall!!_ "...he told to go and welcome the new player to the team," she finished smoothly.

Syaoran's eyebrows knotted together. "By...jumping on me?"

Sakura shrugged nonchalantly again, thus dismissing her earlier actions. "Cheerleader."

Syaoran smiled. "Yeah. You were always the best in elementary school! I'm glad you continued on with it...Meiling didn't want to join up. You should talk her into it. She really likes doing flips and stuff...and was _mortified_ when she didn't make the team in Hong Kong....," Syaoran babbled on nervously about Meiling and Hong Kong.

Sakura almost fell over. He thought they were...friends?! Meiling...didn't tell Syaoran...what she was like now? _Best play it safe. Don't act like her friend but don't act like you are, Sakura. But...Matt would kick Syaoran off the team for her right? ...Right?_ "Oh. Really? Don't worry I'll...talk with her." _Just not about getting her on the cheer leading team._

Syaroran smiled at her before looking over her shoulder at a fellow football player who was calling him over. He picked up his bag and leaned in towards her. "I was worried that you changed for the worse, Sakura. But, you haven't. I'm so glad I was wrong...."

Sakura looked down at the freshly cut grass of the football field. _Oh, if only you knew Syaoran._ Wait! What was she saying?! Sure, she changed...but not for the worse!! For the better! She was happier than she had been in years! She was _POPULAR_! Syaoran was the one who needed to grow up.

So, why did she suddenly feel so bad?

* * *

"....Kinomoto Sakura?"

Sakura snapped out of her trance. How dare anyone interrupt her flashbacks! "Huh?"

Kaho frowned._ Add 'daydreamers' to the list of reasons why I always ask the meaning of this quote to my class._ "What do you think the quote means?"

Sakura leaned back. She had been controlling teachers long enough to know that this red headed one was a rare type. Every other teacher she would either '_charm'_ with her fake sweetness, _'threaten'_ with Alex's important and rich Father, or _'bully'_ top the point in which they left within a week. This new teacher, oh, what was her name?—Kaho Mizuki—was defiantly different.

She couldn't be charmed—she could see threw fakes.

She couldn't be threatened—Alex wasn't in this class to back Sakura up on her false 'claims of unfairness'.

And she couldn't be bullied out of the school—she would tell the principal at the first signs of harassment.

There was only one way to control this type of teacher.

Sakura Kinomoto would use blackmail. She would have too get access to her file and dig through it until something came up so horrible that she could blackmail her into giving her a good mark.

How did she know that Ms. Mizuki would fall like this?

_Every_ teacher who became strong enough to resist the first three methods had something to hide. Now the question was, what was Kaho Mizuki's secret?

* * *

So, now you know what happened on the first day of the last of my life...or was it the last of the first of my downfall? I can't even make sense of it anymore...but wait! IT gets _better_!! Wait until you see how that day concluded...

* * *

Sakrua ran up and down the halls of Tomoeda High. "Matt? MATT?," she continued down the hallways until she ran into a group of football players. "Have you seen Matt?"

Chen grinned, nuzzling her neck. "No, but, hey—if you wanna hook up again after some party, I won't tell him."

Sakura blew him a flirtatious kiss as she continued walking along the halls. Even though it was off task, Chen was awesome when it came to _those_ matters. "I'll remember that."

She continued down until she saw him in the cafeteria. "Matt!"

Matt grinned when he saw the 'hot girl great in sexual matters' aka his girlfriend, Sakura Kinomoto, walking up to him. "Hey babe. What's up?"

Sakura boiled over with anger; the emotion that came after the guilt she had moments ago felt. "Syaoran Li...._why_ is SYAORAN LI on the football team?," she hissed.

Matt shrugged. "I know he's a junior, but it's like Eriol-"

"_NO_, it's _NOT_ like Eriol!"

"Why isn't like Eriol?"

"Take him off."

Matt's eyes widened. He didn't understand half the things people said or did, but he did understand the words _Take him off_. "He's awesome! We need him! You cannot be serious-"

Sakura's eyes watered. "Matt _Damen_! I am the _most_ popular girl in the school! I need to portray that image! How would it look if _Meiling Li'_s cousin was _popular_?!"

Matt rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, uh, who's Meiling Li?"

Sakura's mouth dropped.

* * *

"Miss Kinomoto? I asked you for an answer. What do you think the quote means?"

Sakura eyed a spare target card in her backpack beside her desk. She had never found a teacher worth targeting. Until now. "That you don't have a lesson plan, so you're asking us a quote on someone you found ten minutes ago on the Internet?"

The class burst into giggles. Kaho gritted her teeth. _Add smartasses to the list of why I ask this question._ She walked up to the sixteen year old girl and bent down so they were at eye level with each other. "See me when I'm done talking, Sakura."

* * *

"And then...and then he told me that the team needed Syaoran and they _couldn't_ take him off! Oh, Alex, what_ am_ I going to do?!" Sakura and the Barbie's sat on a bleacher, facing a vacant football field. Sara was fixing Sakura's nail polish, Alex was fixing Sakura's hair while Lyndze sat on the bleacher below Alex's trying to concentrate on the 50 math questions she would have no time to do tonight.

Lyndze snorted. _Damn. _Figures Sakura would arrange for all four of them to have a spare together.

If only she would stop crying...

Alex smoothed down the top of Sakura's hair. "Honey, either Syaoran goes or Matt does."

Sakura whipped around to face Alex, making Sara spill the nail polish all over the bleacher. "You're...you're _not_ serious...are you?"

Alex flicked back a strand of her blond hair. "I'm completely serious! Sakura, how would it look if Meiling got the better of you?"

"But, Alex, I can't just get rid of Matt! I mean, how would _that_ look?"

Lyndze looked up from her math and turned around to face her group. She felt bad for Syaoran; he was so smart, nice, friendly! If she didn't have a crush on Eriol—wait, did she just say crush on Eriol?!—besides, Syaoran didn't seem like he was on the war path like Meiling was. "Maybe, Sakura, you could, well, maybe let Syaoran play Senior Football?"

Sakura arched a beautifully waxed eyebrow. "Now, why, Lyndze Johnson, would I do something like that?"

"Because it's not his fault that you and Meiling are fighting!"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. Was Lyndze challenging her? "Meiling will win if Syaoran plays."

"But...if you take Matt off the team, wouldn't Meiling win that way, too? You wouldn't be dating the most popular senior anymore!"

Sakura eased back. _Good, Lyndze. For a minute there you scared me. I thought you were going to rebel on me._ "You're right! And, on top of that, you gave me an idea!"

Lyndze weakly smiled back. She had just remembered why after her idea accidentally got the whole Daidoji thing started she vowed never again to speak up. _I just hope I didn't make things worse for Syaoran..._'

* * *

"Vincent Bugliosi was the one who spoke those words, class. Now, too see what you're capable of, write me a paragraph on a topic of your choice," she eyed Kinomoto who rose from her seat and walked up to the desk.

Kaho sighed and sat back down at her desk, waiting for Kinomoto to come see her. She ran a hand through her red hair; something about that girl made her just a bit nervous. Sakura approached the desk.

"Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Miss Kinomoto, I advise you to next time cut the sarcasm and answer the question. Or you'll find yourself in Ms. Carter's office, do I make myself clear?"

Sakura leaned forward. "And I'm warning you, Ms. Mitzuki—the last teacher who threatened to send me to Ms. Carter's office, found _herself_ there signing a release contract."

The bell rang, startling the English Class.

* * *

Sakura walked back to her desk got her books together, slowly. Syaoran glanced behind him, pausing only for a moment to study the girl behind him. Something defiantly was up. He thought she hadn't changed yesterday, until he realized that she wasn't even friends with Tomoyo anymore.

"Meiling! Tomoyo! Rika, Chelsae, Nikki! Yamazacki!," Syaoran yelled as he slowed down to sit with his friends under the shade of an oak tree. He had just come back from the field.

Tomoyo smiled. "Syaoran! How's your day going so far?"

"Great. Uhh, doesn't Sakura sit here too?"

Rika's face fell a bit. Tomoyo forced a smile. "Why, I think she decided to sit with other people today. Cheerleaders, I think. You know, being on a team where they require you to be so closely connected to the teammates often results in making lots of close friends. And sometimes, when you make these close friends, you like to spend lunch hours with them. A lot."

Syaoran mentally slapped himself. "Oh, yeah, right."

"Have you seen Ms. Kinomoto today?," Meiling asked.

Syaoran nodded. "Yeah, we, uh, met a few minutes ago. Haven't you seen her at all...?"

"Syaoran."

Everyone turned around at the new voice. Tomoyo felt the heat rise in her cheeks. A confused look crossed Meiling's face. Rika, Chelsae, Nikki and Yamazacki simply stared.

Eriol Hirracazawa, Senior Football jock, was standing three feet away from the group of...._losers_.

"Hey, Eriol—" Syaoran started. Eriol simply began to walk off. Syaoran shrugged and waved a good bye as he chased off after his friend. Eriol stopped when they were out of range of Syaoran's 'friends'.

"Eriol! Why did you just walk off—"

Eriol cut Syaoran off. "Syaoran, why did you talk to them? Did you not hear me when I explained the pathetic _popular_ people eat together _every_ day?"

"They're my friends!"

Eriol pointed towards a table of jocks, cheerleaders, and _Sakura_. "I already told you—people make sacrifices when they're popular." Syaoran's eyes looked confused. Eriol turned back to face him. "And so will you."

Syaoran felt as if a dead weight had hit him. It was all too clear. _People make sacrifices when they're popular...and so will you_.

Eriol had made the sacrifice of hating school so he could play Senior football and be popular.

So then, just maybe...had Sakura had made the sacrifice of ditching her friends to be popular?

But, that wasn't what scared him most. Oh, no. The fact that now, he too, would have to make a 'sacrifice', scared the hell out of him.

* * *

"Something wrong, Syaoran?," Sakura's voice dripped with sweetness. _All part of the plan Sakura, all part of the plan. Soon, you'll use Syaoran to ruin Meiling once and for all! _Syaoran flashed her a small smile, one that Sakura found herself slightly blushing at.

Syaoran exhaled when he recognized her usual sweet tone. _Syaoran, man, you can't seriously believe that Eriol means that Sakura's some pathetic popular person! She must be popular because because she's niice—maybe she's forced to sit at the table because she's a cheerleader too! Just forget yesterday..._"No-no. It's..nothing," Syaoran walked off. Better walk off now before realizing he was right about being wrong—if that made any sense.

Meiling leaned forward besides Sakura's ear. "Watch your step Kinomoto. The entire student body is waiting to see if you're gonna to a thing about a certain juni_or_," she said dragging out the last word. Meiling smirked when she realized Kinomoto's face was slightly flushed after talking to Syaoran.

"Don't fall in love, _Sakura_."


	6. Chapter 5: The Pep Rally

**Rules of Popularity ...be careful who you fall in love with.**

**Chapter 5: Pep Rally**

Touya Kinomoto fixed green tea for Sakura and her friends—it wasn't often that Sakura had them over. Mostly, they went to that rich model's house. Alice? Alexa? Alex? _Alex, that's it._ Alex Bolton. That blond who told him that he needed to buy _Smart Choice_ green tea, or she would gain weight.

So, naturally, Touya **never** bought _Smart Choice_ green tea. He only told Alex he did.

Obviously, using other brands of green tea made no difference. The incident occurred two years ago, and Alex Bolton hadn't gained a single pound.

_Damn_.

Touya climbed the stairs to Sakura's room where her friends were busy reading magazines out loud. _"To properly obtain an orgasm..."_

Sakura looked up. "Put it over there, Touya. You did use _Smart Choice_ green tea because of Alex, right?"

Touya nodded. "Of course."

He closed the door and walked into the living room. Why was Sakura friends with those self absorbed wannabees? What happened to Tomoyo? Nikki? Chelsea? Rika? He had never approved of these new girls, not once. They had never thanked him or Sakura for dinner or tea; never once properly acknowledged his presence.

"Touya, you know Sakura has the right to chose her own friends," a young boy of 24 said. His silver hair and glasses sparkled in the sunlight.

Touya gave the boy a half smile from the living room entrance as he joined him on the couch. "Yukito, you sound more and more like my father everyday."

Yukito nodded silently. "Sakura has changed so much since your father decided to start doing digs around the world."

Touya nodded sadly. "It impacted her so much. I guess, now that I'm in my final two years at Tokyo University, I could move back and live with her, again. It's not healthy that Dad decides to pick up and leave for three months at a time, stay home for two weeks, and leave again. She can't live on her own like this. It's not right."

Yukito gave his best friend and roommate a half smile. "In two years, our little Sakura will be in university herself. Besides, you're going to be working in Tokyo, so you wouldn't move back here anyway."

Yukito had known the Kinomotos' for six years; it was almost as if he was family with them all. Their problems were his problems, too. But, if there was absolutely nothing he could do to fix them, the least he could do was lend an ear or a shoulder to lean on.

Touya scowled. "The least Dad could do was be here with her for until she graduates! Does he not see how she's changed?"

"It was selfish of him, I know, but you come over at least once every two weeks."

Touya hit a near by pillow. "It's not enough to come and spend two days with her every two weeks! She needs more family, Yukito! What happens when finals come up? I won't see her for TWO MONTHS!"

Yuktio silently nodded his agreement.

"And, what kills me even more, is that Sakrua's turned into _that_!," Touya picked up a picture that had been lying on the coffee table of Sakura and her friends at a high school dance, and, as Touya put it, 'they might as not be wearing anything'. Sakura was in the middle wearing a black low cut halter top that stopped a good inch above her belly button and a magenta pink sequence skirt that sat extremely low on her hips, yet still stopped at high thigh. Black sandals with two inch heels and straps that went up her legs tied in with the black eyeliner and straight hair.

Touya growled and threw the picture to the other end of the coffee table. "A slut faced girl who won't get anywhere in life! Yukito, it's just not fair! Every day, I watch her become more and more of what she is; she's not the girl she was anymore. Especially since she got that boyfriend, Matt. I don't even think she's a virgin!"

Yukito's face fell as he slowly poured himself more tea. "Touya, I'm so, so sorry..."

Touya gave a half-hearted laugh. "I'd give anything for those Chinese kid-brats to come back, again. Maybe they'd put some sort of sense into her head, again. And not just the common sense to double up on condoms."

* * *

"So, Sakura, when does your annoying brother leave for Tokyo, again? I mean, it's a weekend, does he not start school yet?," Sara asked.

Sakura looked up from her sex article. "Tomorrow's Monday right?"

"Yeah."

"Then he leaves tomorrow night."

"Why don't you have a party on Friday, then? Help us with our plan to crush those Li's."

Sakura tilted her head. "Sounds like a good idea." She looked around and realized Lyndze had gone to the washroom. _Good. This might put help my plan out. Put two little rebels in their place._ "And I think I'm gonna put a little match making to the test..."

* * *

Kaho sat at her desk. The whole room was dark, except for a overhead light and the white light coming off of the computer screen. Red hair was let down from the bun she had in this morning and looked as if not long ago fingers had been wildly running though it. Currently, her fingers drumming over the desk, staring at the English paragraphs—a certain someone's paragraph—she had class English 30S-4 write.

Sakura Kinomoto's class.

And, ironically enough, the paper she was staring at was no other than Sakura Kinomoto's.

In fact, she had been staring at Sakura Kinomoto's paragraph for the past twenty minutes. A red pen lay ready by the paper ready to make remarks, give praise and point out errors.

No mark at all had been made on Kinomoto's paper yet.

Kaho closed her eyes, reopened them, and let her eyes take in what Sakura had penned. The topic was of each students own choosing. Funny, though, out of everyone she expected Kinomoto to write a paragraph on some girly subject: makeup, hair, soap oprahs, reality TV—just as her I'm-better-than-you nature would most likely be interested in. But, no. The deceiver has become the deceived.

Kaho sighed; she couldn't ignore this paragraph—or, should she say multiple paragraphs—for much longer. But what could she do? Her eyes traveled to the title again.

_Rules of Popularity_

* * *

Syaoran got up from reading his textbook to get a cup of water from the kitchen. After getting the cold, chlorine tasting liquid, he wandered towards the phone where a red light was flashing. A few messages were on the answering machine from people calling while he was locked away in his room studying.

He pushed the _play_ button.

_"Syaoran, it's me, Jessie. I'm in your science class and I thought maybe-"_

Delete.

_"Li Syaoran, hi, this is Madeline. Actually, we've never met, but I got your number and I was wondering if you want to hook-"_

Delete.

_"This is Karen calling for Syaoran. I know your single, so if you want to-"_

Delete.

Syaoran shook his head; what was the female population of the school coming to? It was a Wednesday night; ever since Monday he had been getting these weird looks from girls in the hallway, during class, at lunch, after school, at football practice—they were practically stalking him! He downed the rest of the water and let his memory travel back to Monday at lunch....

* * *

"Syaoran, Eriol! Thought you two were gonna actually gonna go sit with those losers," Matt answered calling them over to the "jock" table.

Eriol gave Syaoran a quick look and sat beside Matt, indicating Syaoran should follow his example and sit beside him.

Syaoran, lucky for him, took the hint as he sat down and remained quiet. He half heartedly listened to the conversation going on between him and his fellow teammates, nodding and smiling and the appropriate places, but his main attention was at the other end of the table.

Specifically on Sakura Kinomoto.

The way she smiled at comments, her laugh that he hadn't heard in so long, the way her eyes went big at startling statements, how her smooth, split-end free hair moved when she shook her head. She was perfect in every way.

Just as every popular cheerleader should be.

Syaoran shook his head; there was no way Sakura was only popular because she was pretty. She was popular because she was nice...

...right?

A few other cheerleaders came to join the circle at the opposite end, dragging Sakura away with them.

He let his gaze wander down towards the three other girls who seemed most close to her. There were two blonds he didn't recognize, and a brunette who seemed oddly familiar. _Wait! I know her._

Lyndze Johnson from his math class. But, if she was a senior, why was she hanging with juniors? Could she be a junior too? Like Sakura was?

He poked Eriol. "Eriol, who are those girls down there?"

Sakura came back dressed in a red and white skimpy cheerleading suit.

Eriol raised his eyebrows. Poor Syaoran was having such a hard time adjusting to this popular thing. _Oh, well. He needs to know the brutal reality_. "The Barbies. Juniors, actually. From left to right: Sakura Kinomoto, Lyndze Johnson, Sara Greenwell and Alex Bolton. If you touch Sa-"

"Sakura, baby, come here for a sec will you?," Matt called out.

Eriol sighed._ I am so stupid!_ If only he had explained the whole Barbie thing to Syaoran a while ago...

Sakura flashed a seductive smile before realizing Syaoran was sitting in the little circle.

Her smile fell.

She walked up to Matt, who pulled her on to his lap. "Syaoran, this is my girlfriend, Sakura Kinomoto."

Eriol tried his hardest not to laugh for three reasons:

One the irony of this timing. Syaoran was really being dragged to hell and back over being popular; even he himself didn't have to get taught about the Barbies this way.

Two the look on Kinomoto's and Li's face was priceless. Kinomoto practically straddling her boyfriend's lap and Li's eyes traveling up and down Kinomoto as his mouth hung open.

Three, because, the two were obviously head over heels for one another; considering Kinomoto usually did a lot more than straddle Matt in front of the football team.

"I-we did met Syaoran," was all Sakura could manage to get out.

Eriol bite his finger. Make that four: not once had he seen Sakura Kinomoto, ruler of the school, stumble over her words before. Which left him wondering, just what did happen between Kinomoto and Li all those years ago?

Syaoran simply nodded, dumbfounded. _Girlfriend?!_

Matt grinned oblivious to the situation. "Yeah, baby, I know you've already met, I just thought you deserved a proper introduction."

Syaoran blinked a few times. "...girlfriend..."

Eriol's eyes watered with tears.

Matt nodded proudly. "Since grade 9. Though it's been on and off. You remember our anniversary, right baby?"

Sakura and Syaoran blurted out their words at the same time.

"Anniversary?!" "December 13."

Eriol chocked on his sandwich.

"Sakrua! Come here!," a red head with the same uniform called. "We're ready to start!"

"I have to go," Sakura said, sprinting for the group of cheerleaders by the cafeteria door. It was now time for a little Meiling Li revenge.

Eriol shook his head. Yet again, providence saves another ungrateful person. Where was providence when buses are getting blown up in Isreal?

When a love-struck young man gets pulled into a social jungle for revenge purposes?

* * *

Sara threw her _Cosmopolitan_ magazine across the room. The other three looked up from whatever they were doing; minus Lyndsey, who was working on math, again, after coming back from the washroom.

"What else are we going to do about those Li's?," she asked.

"God, Sara, that has got to be the first question that makes you sound smart," Alex said, awe struck. Who knew Sara could be this smart?

"If you don't get him, Sakura can I have Syaoran? Oh, _please_, can I have Syaoran?"

Alex snorted. "I take it _all _back."

Sakura rolled her eyes; would they _ever_ get along? "Alex, Sara, knock it off. And, yes, actually, I have another idea. Care to hear?"

Both blonds leaned in enthusiastically. Sakura turned her attention towards Lyndsey, who simply kept on working away at her math problems. "_Lyndsey_?" _Put a rebel in her place, I will. Something's up with Lyndze—and I don't know what. But, I do know this—she can be worse of an enemy than Meiling. I need to keep her close. _

Lyndsey silently joined the circle.

Sakura smiled. "All right. Now, this is the trickiest thing I have ever attempted, but Meiling isn't playing around here. She's smart. So I propose this—we take,"she bit her lip and closed her eyes, "we take in Syaoran—the blonds gasped—into our group and keep him close."

Alex crossed her arms and leaned back against the bean bag floor pillow. "Why? But—but, we _hate_, Syaoran!"

Sakura nodded. "Yes, yes we do. But, unknowingly, Syaoran thinks I'm _friends_ with Meiling. He even started to crack with the info behind her! Don't you remember yesterday? We _need_ him. So, I suggest this: why don't we play him?"

Sara nodded. "Like in bed?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "Sara, how many times did your Mom drop you, God dammit! Sakura means, lead him on. Make him think what we want him to; makes him _see_ what we want too."

A grin rose on Sakura's face. "Yes—but, not only that. We are going to do _so_ much more than that. Syaoran Li will be our puppet to control; unknowingly will he be our spy. And—not only that, but it'll be the first step to payback on Meiling! She wants us _soooooo_ badly to kick Syaoran off the football team-"

* * *

"Thank _God_ Syaoran's still on the football team! I know Damen couldn't kick him off—Syaoran's just too good!," Meiling shouted. Raising a glass of apple juice in a toast to Tomoyo beside her as they studied for a history test at Daidoji's house. "Just wait until we get all of the info from the little Barbies! We will be in business, sweetie! And to think, Kinomoto of all people didn't spill about us hating each other! "

Tomoyo shrugged. "It just seems mean. Not telling Syaoran what's going on-"

* * *

"Oh, but that's the _best_ part, Alex! We're not going to tell Syaoran he's being used. Oh, eventually, he'll figure out what's going on. But, we can prolong that—for a while. Huddle up, everyone—I have an idea! And this one won't get wreaked. Tomorrow, this is what we're going to do—kill three birds with one stone."

Alex laughed. "He still doesn't know what's going on even after yesterday..."

* * *

"Attention all student body!" Sakrua's voice came over a speaker phone by the cafeteria door. "As you know, Tomoeda High Senior Football plays their first game tomorrow!"

Sakrua paused for the students to cheer.

"And, not only do they start tomorrow, but they make their first step towards defending their _National_ _title_!"

The students went crazy.

"So, let's all give them a bit of support!" Sakura put down the microphone, and replaced them with pom-poms. She and the other cheerleaders did a small, gymnastic packed routine down the rows of tables onto a mini stage on the grass, a few feet away from the cement floored out door lunch tables. On stage, they perfectly performed boots and flips, with Sakura always the center of attention, and landed in splits.

The students began screaming; not only were the Senior Football team a national title defender, but so were the Tomodea High Cheerleaders.

Sakura smiled at the crowds enthusiasm. That was only the tip of the ice burg of things she taught _her team_ to do. Gymnastics was something she had always excelled at. Moving up through the ranks of member, treasurer, public relations, vice president to finally president hadn't taken long; how could her coach deny her what was rightfully hers? Just like being popular was rightfully hers. She had worked for this power by making friends with the right crowd. She had payed the price by leaving a life-long friend for this. And now, she was the most popular girl in school—just as Meiling could have been.

Speaking of that, someone's looking a little jealous, Sakura noted. In the far corner, the black hair with red streaks girl was watching her with an envious eye. _Perfect. Time to put the plan into action. _Standing up she walked over the microphone as a few cheerleaders walked over and escorted the Senior Football Team onto center stage. "Alright, looks like we have everyone here. Teachers, members of the student body, I present you with the Senior Football Team, winners of the National A Side! But, we all know they'll go all the way to AA this year!"

Sakura smiled as the crowd shouted words of encouragement. Now, was the fun part. "So, let's get this pep rally stared! Now, we need a volunteer for this first one...how about Tomoyo Daidoji?"

The crowd went dead silent.

Meiling looked up with a suspicious look that Sakura met evenly. "Aren't you going to come up Tomoyo?" She arched a perfectly waxed eyebrow and began chanting, "Tomoyo...Tomoyo....Tomoyo..." The rest of the students caught on and it began to grow until Sakura broke the rhythm. "Are you scared, Tomoyo?"

Tomoyo began making her way up as the crowed clapped politely. Two girls lead Tomoyo to the center stage. Sakura scanned the crowed until she found Alex, Sara and Lyndsey sitting at an off side table, by the sound system. Alex held a CD in her hand. Sakura nodded towards Alex, who placed the CD in the stereo. It began to play with 'Get Ready To Rumble'."Now, we thought to get the teams' spirits up, it would be fun to show them just how much harder cheerleading was than football. Make them feel better that the pressure isn't just on them to perform well."

----

Lana Carter's eyes widened as she watched from the main cafeteria door with the other teachers the 'pep rally' the cheerleaders were giving the Senior Football Team. The coach, Cassandra Brown, hadn't mentioned anything about volunteers; in fact, weren't they supposed to just do a cheer? Maybe she had heard wrong...

"Cassandra, why-" Lana began. Then it hit her; why did Cassandra look just as confused as herself? "Did you plan a little cheer leading clinic here....?"

Kaho Miziuki leaned against the far wall, interested in both ladies reactions. What _was_ going on here?

-----

"So, our lovely volunteer here, Miss Daidoji, is going to demonstrate to us why the football team shouldn't be so pressured." Sakura did a somersault; a basic element learned in gym at a grade 4 level. "Tomoyo?"

Tomoyo gulped. She hadn't taken gym since grade 9. How was she supposed to know how to do a somersault?

-----

Lana Carter grabbed a paling Cassandra's arm. "Did you plan this? Do you know how much trouble our school could get in trouble for! Do you have any idea how dangerous-"

Cassandra shook her head. "I never planned this..."

----

"I-I-can't do it. I don't know how."

Sakura eyed Meiling getting angrier by the second. "You did them _so_ well in grade 4....when you were _behind_ me that is. Then again, I don't know _how_ long pants motivated you to do it." The students burst out with laughter. Matt began crying with laughter; Syaoran just stood there dumbstruck. Why was everyone laughing?

"You know, Tomoyo, unless you want to go see the angry mob down there, I suggest you do-"

"I'll do it."

Everyone turned around to see a ruby eyed girl standing by the back. "_I'll-do-it_."

Sakura smirked. This is what she was counting on Meiling to do. "Alright. Let's give Meiling a shot."

Meiling passed by her terrified friend and executed a perfect somersault.

-----

"Oh, thank God," Lana breathed. "I thought for sure we'd get the Minister of Education knocking on my door tomorrow."

Cassandra nodded. She was very relieved, too. Man, was Kinomoto going to get it next practice.

Kaho, was not so easily convinced though. She has observed strange behavior between Kinomoto and Li Meiling; something was up. Almost as if Kinomoto _knew_ Li would take that Daidoji's girl place...

-----

Sakura did a cartwheel; Meiling did a cartwheel. Sakura did a round off; Meiling did a round off. Sakura did a back flip; Meiling did a back flip.

"I can do _anything_ you can do, Kinomoto. I _was_ trained in gymnastics, you know. So next time you pick on—," she cut herself short, as Syaoran gave her a confused stare.

Sakura smirked, Meiling almost ruined it for herself. Now was time to act, before Syaoran got suspicious. She took a few steps back, remembering the past conversation she had with Syaoran the day she first ran into him...

_"So, what did you say again Meiling had trouble with again? Maybe I can help..."_

_Syaoran blew out his breath. "Oh, I didn't say."_

_"I thought you did."_

_"Oh, well, ariels and twists. Particularly, this sequence where you run and do this flip combo and end with with a 180 ariel twist dive."_

_"Never heard of such a thing."_

_Syaoran laughed. "That's because it was to the song 'Can't Touch This'. Like a creative dance move, thing. She fell in tryouts when they asked her to do it. It was at the beginning actually, when they go 'Can't Touch This'....."_

_Big Mistake, Meiling. You _can't_ do everything I can._ Sakura heard muffled sounds over the intercom as the, Can't Touch This, song began. Meiling's face dropped as she perfectly executed four back flips, leaped into a 180 aerial and finished with a tight twisted dive and landed just in front of Meiling.

Meiling attempted the same, but fell when she attempted the aerial, landing on her side right in front of Kinomoto.

"Can't touch this," Sakura said, the song singing in unison with her.

But, the music didn't quite make it. Instead, it got threw 'Can't Touch-'.

All the bright main lights went off throughout the school. Panic broke out through out the eating area as scrams of a power outage could be heard. Meiling ran off the stage, unnoticed by the confusion.

Sakura looked over towards the sound system; maybe Alex tripped over a cord? Everything was fine—except the way Alex looked confused. The she looked a few feet behind her blond friend—where a certain English teacher had pulled main plug on the power supply.

Ms. Kaho Miziuki was going down. She ruined Sakura's plan. Tomorrow morning she would get the blackmail.

-----

Eriol felt a smile rise as he figured out was happening. "And maybe providence _is_ fair sometimes...."

* * *

Syaoran ran a hand through his hair as he let himself slip into reality again; why was this whole popular thing so hard? Did Sakura purposely do that to Meiling? No. Other songs were playing; it was a dance mix or something. _I'm just glad the power shorted out. _

He glanced towards his answering machine. Still one message left? He ran his finger over the _play_ button and applied pressure.

_"Hey, this is Sakura calling for Syaoran. Can you meet me sometimes today for a schedule check of the games?—I seemed to have lost mine, and Matt's out-of-town with a few other friends, so, call me back...."_

Syaoran smiled at the angelic voice over his answering machine. But, most likely, it was another one of life's little coincidences'.

* * *

Kaho looked at the clock; 8:58 PM.

Not a single red mark on Kinomoto's paper yet.

She sighed and picked up the paper. How could she mark this? She couldn't even get past the title—half of it hadn't been read yet! Walking towards her photocopier, she placed the paper face down and pressed 3 copies.

One for her desk at home.

One for her desk at school.

One for her book bag.

She took the freshly copied papers out of the tray and the end of the machine. Taking the first one, she pinned it to her cork-screw tack board.

And almost fainted.

The white light was hitting the words: _**Rule #6: Eliminate all teachers in your way.** Grade 9—Mrs. Dubose, English. Grade 10—Mr. Weeden, Math and English. Mrs. Fox, English; History. Grade 11—_

_Ms. Mizuki, English. _


	7. Chapter 6: Love Blinds the Best of Us

**Rules of Popularity ...be careful who you fall in love with.**

**Chapter 7: Love Blinds The Best Of Us**

**Sorry for the late update! I have SOOOO much homework these days! I promise one more before January 6th—and to make things right, this update is a long one!**

* * *

"D-Dad? What are you doing back home?," Sakura asked, startled, as she finished walking down the stairs. "Weren't you in Egypt for another month?" 

Fujatia Kinomoto smiled. "I was, but I'm back in Tomodea for four days because this dig is really going to take us another month. And if I don't make it home for Christmas..."

Sakura waved her hand. "It's only the end of December. You'll be back by mid-December. Plenty of time before Christmas. Besides, if you didn't come back now, you might get back earlier."

Fujata loosened his tie and walked into his living room, Sakura trailing behind. "Yes, but then we have to get Egypt's approval to carry the artifacts of out country after the one week showing and lecture and travel across Western Europe for another lecture. If we finish early, we might make a two day stop in Canada and the States, give a lecture in Tokyo and finally return to Egypt and make sure the artifacts are safely stored. If not, we'll do that after Christmas. But they're really pushing for before...that might take a while sweetie."

Sakura shrugged. "It's alright. Work is...work."

Mr. Kinomoto smiled. "I knew you'd understand."

Sakura gave her father a half-smile as she sat down in a chair opposite him. "I always do." She looked around her living room; 72'' flat screen TV and expensive sound system catching her eye. Yes, she always understood.

Her Dad came back from the kitchen with coffee. "I saw your report card the other day. Good job."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Report Card? They don't come out till January, after exams."

"Yes, yes—of course. No, it was your grade 9 one."

Sakura's jaw dropped. Her freshman report card? She was a junior! "_Grade 9_?"

Fujata smiled. "I know it was from last year...but I've been away since March, so I had them mail me it. Just told that office I wanted Sakura Kinomoto's grade 9 report card mailed out to me. I had to specify because last year they mailed me grade one to eight. It was a bit late, considering I saw it last week, but Egypt isn't exactly a first world country." He paused for a sip of his coffee. "How's grade 10 going? I always thought that was a hard grade."

Sakura swallowed, shock still evident on her face. "I'm—uh—it's—um, well, actually—"

The sound of a pager interrupted her. Her Dad whipped out a cell phone, called the number, exchanged a few words, then hung up. "Looks like I'm off to the site again tonight. Might not take a month after all, now."

He went upstairs, threw a suitcase together, then came back down, pausing at the door. "Well, good luck in school then. Tell Touya I said hi."

And with that Mr. Kinomoto walked out of Sakura's life, again; this time within twenty minutes of walking back in.

* * *

"Hey, Sakura, come on—hurry up. We need to get the blackmail for Mizuki—_before_ most of the teachers arrive." 

Sakura popped out of her daydream. Looking up at Alex. "Huh? Oh, yeah, of course—for sure. Stand watch for me until Sara—where is Sara? Sara?," she called to the girl in the corner, fixing her blush. She looked up at her leader.

"Yes?"

"Sara, It's 7:00—you need to be in position in thirty minutes. You both do. Remember, I want this to be dramatic. Now, I can get out of the records office in fifteen; but I'll have to around out the back of the school. So I'll make it just in time. Don't worry if I'm not there early. Alright?"

Alex nodded as Sakura paused at the door. "Where's Lyndze?"

Alex and Sara shrugged. "Probably doing homework. God, I explain to her _everyday_ that if she would just bribe some loser, she wouldn't have any!"

Sakura turned her back so Alex wouldn't see her narrowed eyes. "Yeah. Probably." Something was up with Lyndze, and she didn't like it. And she would fix it tomorrow, at her party.

But for now, she had to concentrate on the currant plan.

And, with that, she slipped unnoticed into the record office.

* * *

"Miss Johnson, I'm afraid this isn't going to work..." 

Lyndze dragged an arm across her forehead. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to break those dishes, really, I—"

Mr. Copperfield, Lyndze's employer, stood shaking his head. "You're a good kid Lyndze. I know you didn't mean to break those dishes, really, I do—but look at you! You've been here since 5:30 this morning! This can't be good for school. On top of that, during after school shifts, you're even more tired than you are in the morning! I've seen your report card—why, you don't even need a full time job your marks are so high! You'll most likely get a scholarship!"

"Thank you, but...I still really need the money."

Mr. Cooperfield narrowed his dark brown eyes. "Is to support some sort of addiction?"

Lyndze whipped her head up. "No!"

Her employer let a relieved half smile take over his face. "Look, Lyndze, I'm not going to fire you—you really put in maximum effort. But I am going to lessen your hours. You work to hard."

Lyndze nodded. It was better than nothing right? She began to walk back towards the kitchen.

"Just answer me one question."

Lyndze paused and turned around.

"Why do you need this money?"

Lyndze looked down, looking at her chipped French manicure. She hated French manicures now. A symbol of all that she let herself fall victim too. "Because I have no courage." She squeezed her eyes shut. Meiling didn't deserve what was about to happen to her.

"Everyone knows its better to be in than out. I'm no exception."

* * *

Sakura tip toed through the records, stopping at a drawer marked ''M''. As quietly as possible, she sifted through the files until she stopped on one marked _Mitzuki_. She muttered to herself as she flipped though the contracts her English teacher signed, passed the teaching license, and on to the history part. 

"Graduated from Tokyo University...majored in high school English...taught in many high schools across Japan..._quit a job from Preston Academy_?" Sakura felt a smile grow on her cheeks. Preston Academy was only the most elite school in all of Japan. Nobody quits Preston—unless they're about to be fired.

All she needed was a little help from Alex's resources to obtain the last piece to this puzzle.

* * *

Kaho walked into the staff room at eight that morning, a good thirty five minutes before the bell. She nodded to some of her fellow employees along the way, making a beeline for the freshly made coffee sitting just meters away. She poured herself a generous amount; then, collapsed into a nearby chair. 

She still didn't know what to make of Kinomoto. The paragraph she still couldn't mark, the pep rally, what next? It was like her and that Li Meiling were at a war with one another.

The click-click-click of high heeled shoes interrupted her thoughts. _Why is that so familiar?_

She sprinted towards the doorway, opening the door only to find that every student in the hallway was lined up against the walls, standing frozen; except for three girls. Meiling Li stood in the middle of the hallway; the raven haired girl—her name was Tomoyo wasn't it?—called up for the pep rally stood in horror reading some sort of banner on the student council bullition board.

Sakura Kinomoto stood at the opposite end of the hallway; yellow high-heel shoes on her feet.

Beside her, a tall brown haired football player stood looking confused at the students reactions. Didn't Sakura say that this theme for the spirit week would be popular? I mean, he he might have been elected student council president—but is wasn't like he cared if anyone other than the seniors—or Sakura and her friends—had a good school year. That was why his lovely girlfriend ran the student council—and, as she put it, he was a figure head so the administration would be happy. Only seniors could be president. And of course he had to make the occasional speech when it was called for.

And, based on the silence, he figured maybe they were waiting for one.

"Well...on behalf of your student council, I'd like to officially announce that starting on Monday, December 3—next week of course because today is a Friday, and uh, still November—that we will be having our first Spirit Week. Uhh...fellow students, may I present to you the theme of _Spirit Week December 2004_: _Target Practice_."

* * *

Meiling? Are you—are you alright?," Syaoran Li asked through the white wood door of their two bedroom apartment. "Meiling, we have school this morning. Are you sick? If you are I should run out and get some Advil now. I won't have time after school—our first football practice starts at four." 

No answer.

Syaoran sighed. She must be sleeping; why else would she be ignoring him? He hadn't seen her all morning...and she was the late riser, not him. It was already eight thirty! Good thing he didn't have class until third period. But, Meiling he knew, should be in class in exactly...

...now. It was 8:35 am.

He had a strong feeling this was more than a fever.

_Maybe she's in trouble with a teacher? A friend? Didn't do a project, so she's faking sick?_

His thoughts we're interrupted by a packed school bag thrown by the door; lunch, car keys and morning coffee cup on the side table. It couldn't be...

...had Meiling gone to school, but come back home?

* * *

Kaho walked into a classroom full of juniors. The third period bell had just rung and most students began to settle down. She nervously placed her book bag on her desk, tucking her long red hair behind her ear. _Pull yourself together, Kaho. _She heard quiet whispers around, but they hushed as she began attendance. 

"Junko?"

"Here."

"Kayuri?"

"Here."

"Kinomoto?"

No answer.

"Kinomoto?," Kaho called a little louder.

No answer. Kaho looked towards the back of the room. There sat Kinomoto Sakura, smug grim across her face. "Sakura, I called your name twice. I expect you to answer if your here."

Sakura matched her gaze equally. "Here."

Kaho let out a shaky breath. "Kynto?"

"Here."

"Li Meiling?"

No answer. Kaho looked up towards the empty desk in front of Sakura Kinomoto. Meiling should have been here...didn't she see her in the morning? "Does anyone know where Meiling is today?"

Sakura raised her hand in mock respect. "She's started feeling a little overwhelmed, so I guess she went home."

"Thank you, Sakura." Kaho raised her eyebrows. First Kinomoto wouldn't talk to her, now she's volunteering information?

"Li Syaoran?"

"I'm here!," the young boy called out as he walked though the door of the third floor classroom. "Am I late?"

Kaho rubbed her forehead. "Just sit down, Mr. Li. Mario?"

"Oh, she's sick today..."

"Ms. Mituki?" A voice came over the intercom. "We need you in the office. We'll send a sub down."

Kaho collapsed into her chair. She officially hated period threes.

At least the paragraphs her class wrote she wouldn't have to deal with today.

* * *

Meiling lay on her bed. Turning her head, she saw that it was supposed to be period three right now. What day was it? 5? So that means she should be in... 

English.

"I'm not missing much am I?," she asked to the empty room. Seeing the poster in the hallway set her on fire. _Target Practice_. How dare Kinomoto pull something like this!? She needed a way to get back at her.

Which was why she was at home, waiting for a phone call. She couldn't risk Kinomoto seeing her reaction to the Spirit Week Theme; she needed the element of surprise for any sort of plan to work. Say wasn't it about time for the phone call—

Meiling reached over and picked up her cell. _Right on time, Tomoyo_ As she hit the _talk_ button, she realised just how lucky Meiling's English class and Tomoyo's spare worked out. Oh—and the fact Daidoji wasn't _in_ her and Kinomoto's English class.

"Hey—right on time, like always."

"You expected less?," a teasing voice answered. Meiling bit her lip as she realized that Daidoji was still against getting revenge. She was simply putting on a mask for the people who had outnumbered her—in simple terms, she was going with the flow of things.

"Look, Tomoyo—"

"There's a party at Sakura's on tonight. They always start around ten-ish. Do whatever you have to. I'm _not_ going."

"Tomoyo, why—"

"If your going to drag me into this, I'm _only_ going to be an accomplish. She might deserve whatever she's getting tonight—but, in the end, when she's on her deathbed, she's going to have to decide if what she did at seventeen was the right choice in her heart."

"—can't you call her Kinomoto."

But Tomoyo had already long since ended the conversation. Literally. Yet, something told Meiling, that even though the conversation have come to a literal stop, subconsciously the battle had just begun.

Not just in Tomoyo....but in herself too.

* * *

By period four, Syaoran Li was so glad to arrive to a class where everything was logical and no surprises and twists could occur. 

That something was math. Calculus—grade _12_ Calculus—to be exact. None of that consumer nonsense for him—and, next year, came grade 12 Applied math.

It was a certainty that Syaoran Li was planning a future in the math and science department.

He slid into his desk beside what he could define as the best male friend he had—depending on your version of _best friend_. To Syaoran, that meant anyone who helped him through the last three weeks of high school. And, that lead him to Eriol Hirracazawa.

"Hey Eriol."

"Syaoran," he acknowledged not even looking up from some sort of flow chart he was making. "I suppose you saw the spirit week theme this morning?"

"I had a double spare this morning—just made it in time for period three. So, I haven't had a chance to look. Another popularity rule you'd like to fill me in on _before_ I do something stupid?"

Eriol chuckled. What downright lucky people Meiling and Sakura were—if Syaoran saw that big scene this morning both girls would be ruined. High school ought to be on TV—it was more dramatic and entertaining than the _The O.C._! Especially if you were in his position. "No. And yes. More so no."

Syaoran sighed. "Are you always so cryptic? Alright, what is it this time? I have to attend an annual spirit week party? I—"

Eriol looked up from his writing. "Actually, you just reminded me. There's a party tonight."

"Mandatory attendance?," Syaorna quipped.

"Yes."

"And, the whole spirit week thing?"

"Just...forget it. For now, at least," Eriol had come to a conclusion the other day during the pep rally—and that was that he held a lot more cards than he gave himself credit for. He controlled Syaoran; and Meiling and Sakura knew it.

But, for now, just as he had been doing for the past two years and three months, he was just going to sit back and enjoy the show.

* * *

Sakura sat in her period four history class and she wasn't the least bit happy. Yet, she should be, right? Her theme for spirit week had hit the bullseye on the Meiling Li dart board. The score was in her favor. 

Then why couldn't she enjoy this victory? Next week would be even better—every day more satisfying than the last. But, dammit, something was bothering her. And what pissed her off most was it wasn't about Meiling Li—

—but about no one other than Lyndze.

Lyndze, she reflected, hadn't been the best at loyalty. Sakura had seen that by May of grade 9. Though, she thought that a few years had worked wonders on her friend—she even stopped trying to reason out with them why they were ruining people's lives.

But why hadn't she still conformed?

This was getting urgent; she needed to solve this before Monday. And today, being a Friday, meant she had little time. This was no weekend matter. Lyndze's one weakness was school related.

And, Sakura Kinomoto, knew just the specific weakness too. She scribbled a note to Alex, who she got arranged to sit in a neighboring desk—Mr. Dyke was a easy pushover long since won over—let Alex send out a few texts messages, waited for two more minutes before Alex wrote back a note.

Exactly ten seconds later a note came excusing her from class for a school related issue for unknown length of time; Miss Carter's forged signature and all.

And just about now, someone else was going to get a little surprise. She was about to put a new meaning to the cliché Kill Two Birds With One Stone.

* * *

Figuratively speaking, Lyndze was the one who actually had a conscience. I had rid myself of mine; what good did it do me? She was the one I was concerned about. In fact, I had to fear more from her than almost anyone—she knew a lot about my personal life. I needed her to be on my side 100. 

But, to pause on the subject of Alex. She was better than me in every way; on every other possible world, our roles would have been reversed. But, you can say, I learned from the best—by way of example. And Meiling Li didn't even know it. What would she say when I told her that she created me?

Back to Alex, though—she was a model. One day, she'd be working for V_ictoria Secret_. I am simply gifted in the ways of leadership—even if I function as a dictator. She has connections—she probably went thought at least fifteen people to answer my note. Crazy, I know. She worships me—I have to keep her thinking that way, too.

And Sara. Sara, Sara, _Sara_. To this day, I still don't understand what made me include her—oh, yes, I remember. I got her to get losers to do my homework. But, I am quite capable of getting them myself now.

Yet, I seemed to overlook one _very_ important person in this story's_ very_ near future....

* * *

"Hello? Coach?" 

Sakura smiled. Right on time. She was waiting against the wall of the boys locker room; out of the light, though, should anyone unexpected show up.

"He's not here." Sakura walked back into the light, portraying the most nutural and innocent look as she could.

The boy narrowed his eyes. "Sakura."

Sakura smiled. She walked up to him, close enough so her breath was on his face. "Eriol."

Eriol met her gaze equally. "I had a feeling this wasn't about football. Coach isn't here during the school hours on odd days."

Sakura walked her fingers up his chest. "Impressive. Too bad you didn't follow that gut instinct, huh?"

Eriol tensed as she placed her hand on his neck.

Sakura lowered her voice to a whisper. "Too bad your such a rebel, Eriol. You could have been it. I could have made you better than some lousy offense player. Besides, yours so hot—"

"Thanks, but no thanks. You offered me the same thing in grade 9." He realized their position and pushed her back. "Is this what you called me down for, Sakura? To seduce me?"

Sakura gave a bitter laugh as she pulled out a cigerette-look-alike. But it smelled like...

Eriol cringed his nose. "Don't tell me you've crossed over to drugs now."

Sakura took a long drag and shrugged. "Like you haven't."

"That was a one month thing—almost a year and half ago,now."

"While your parents were going through a divorce, if I remember correctly. Had Alex look you up—what did you Mom sue your Dad for? Oh, yes—for gambling away your family's money. Though I can't remember if she won." Sakura paused to think as she let the smoke out of her mouth. "Probably didn't completely win—I mean, if your relying on a scholarship to an American university...that means you can obviously to attend Tokyo, just aren't that rich little family who used to be able to afford Harvard, eh?"

Eriol felt a fist form. Old emotions he thought they had sorted out didn't die off. He hadn't been this mad at her since she threated to tell his coach about his little drug problem unless he kept his mouth shut about finding her cheat notes—cheat_ answers_, actually—for the National Grade 10 English Exam. A crime punishable by becoming expelled.

She stepped on the small stub and threw it in the near by garbage, throwing in a perfumed card to clear the air of the scent. "Just for the record, I don't do that often."

Eriol sighed. "Sakura, look, we haven't talked in how many years? Why bring up old problems—"

Sakura interrupted. "Because like it or not Eriol, you _are_ my problem right now."

Eriol raised his arms in mock surrender. "What did I do now?"

"Do you still like Lyndze?"

Eriol's eyes widened as the realization hit him. "You leave her out of this."

Sakura arched an eyebrow. "I'll take that as a yes."

"I'm serious. You harm her—"

Sakura ran a hand though her hair. "How long ago did you guys date? Oh, right—broke it off at the beginning of the school year. Why, Eriol?"

Eriol looked down. "Why, Sakura? Look in the God dammed mirror. I'm leaving next year, and I'm not breaking it off after prom for her to come crying to everything you represent. She's one hell of a nice girl—and why you sucked her into this high school drama is beyond me."

Sakura shrugged. "It was a risk that I took. Should have never of taken it—look where it got me. But, thanks to you, everything's gonna be okay."

Eriol grunted. "Explain, Kinomoto. _Now_."

Sakura smirked. "You make this sound like murder, when, in reality, all you have to do is take her back."

Eriol's head shot up. "_What_?"

Sakura leaned against the wall, her yellow Chanel silk tank-top and ultra low rise black jeans catching more light. "All you have to do is take Lyndze back. Tonight at the party."

Eriol covered more distance between them. "Why? What's in this for you, Kinomoto?"

Sakura felt a smile approach her lips. "Everything."

Eriol leaned in closer; his arms against the wall, holding himself up as he leaned in closer. "What-is-in-this-for-you."

Sakrua smirked. "Only since you asked so nicely." She paused to lean in closer to him. "But, I'm still not going to tell you. I'm sure you can guess."

Eriol nodded. "You have every dammed person you need around your finger—excpet me and Lyndze....more so Lyndze," he added. "If Lyndze is dating me, she has an obligation to your side because of me. And you already know I won't change sides—"

"Because, you need the scholarship," Sakura finished.

"You sick bitch," Eriol cursed as he pulled away running his hands though his hair. "You couldn't have left me alone for the rest of the year, couldn't you? Why the fuck are you pulling me into this? Lyndze doesn't deserve this—"

"But that's your weakness Eriol. And my strength. You care about her—you don't want her to get hurt. And she won't mind getting back together with you—like you said, she confides in me. Mistake or not, I know she didn't want to break up. So don't even think about breaking up again. Me and you run fucked up lives, Eriol—and we both know Lyndze does too, trying to make ends meet in her family. Sakura motioned to the garbage. "And we both know how people vulnerable people deal with problems."

Eriol closed his eyes. He was trapped. Sakrua had him good. If he didn't get back with her, somehow the influence of Sakura would fuck her up completely—Sakura was determined to remain supreme. She knew Lyndze had too much of a conscience—and she regretted bringing her into the circle. So, she had to fix her mistake somehow. And, like marriages forced bonds between countries, if dating created alliance to a side, Sakura was willing to go that far.

Eriol turned to leave. "You know I'll do it, Kinomoto. And you know I'll keep quiet about this little talk."

Sakura raised her hand in a mock toast. "You always do. Can't harm Lyndze, now can you? I guess love blinds the best of us, Eriol."

"But you don't know how strong Lyndze really is. She'll pull through one day. You'll see. Then you'll be sorry." Eriol let out a bitter laugh as he realized this was all about her fight with Meiling. And her efforts to keep Syaoran oblivious. Of course, he was one of the few people who knew why Sakura was going to such lengths to keep Syaoran in the dark—and, of these few people, Sakura herself wasn't even included.

"You're right, Kinomoto. We always protect the ones we love. Love blinds the best of us."

And with that, he walked off.


	8. Chapter 7: The Party

**Rules of Popularity ...be careful who you fall in love with.**

**Chapter 7: The Party**

Sorry this is late! Or, is it right on time according to synchrogirl-time? Ff(.)net has been acting weird lately. I guess it depends how you look at it...

For some odd reason, my Internet has been on and off these past few days. Anyways, I'm done exams now...so updates will go back to every two weeks.

Anyways, enjoy the update!

* * *

Sakura Kinomoto was looking in the mirror.

And Sakura Kinomoto was not happy with what she saw.

How did she get this fat? She turned sideways and say how tightly the skirt hugged her body; how tight _Alex's_ skirt hugged her body. She unzipped in the side zipper and glanced at the tag. Size 00. Okay, so Sakura averaged a 3; but that didn't mean a 00 _shouldn't_ fit. Really, 3's were big, right?

..._Right_?

"I can't wear this tonight," she muttered to herself. The rumor about her being a size 9 still hadn't died down; and, if she wore a skirt that hugged her too tight, it would put the rumor back in the 1 hottest gossip topic.

_Besides_, Sakura reasoned, _that spot is saved for Meiling_.

She sighed, taking a final glance in the mirror, picked up a light pink and white skirt, and traded it's size 3 label for the 00 she currently had on.

She felt a smile rise despite her currant humongous-hips-crisis. She _never_ let it get out until after the fact that she was having—had, rather—a party; they usually were invites only. But not tonight.

And, that was all that was needed to put her as-of-yesterday plan in motion.

* * *

"Of course you should go to the dance tonight!" Meiling Li shouted across the dinner table. She reached for the pitcher of juice.

"But, if you're not going...and Daidoji's not going—"

Meiling rolled her eyes as she shoveled another fork full of food into her mouth, pausing to chew slowly while she thought up an excuse. She swallowed some water and stood up, banging her hands on the table. "Of course I'm going, Syaoran! You didn't think Sakura invited me? Just...I think I'll do a bit of homework first. Midterms are coming up, you know." She sat back down.

Syaoran picked at the taco in front of him. "Yeah..._at the end of January_! It's December, Meiling." He took a bite.

Meiling shrugged it off. "You know my parents expect a lot of me. Plus, I'm not all that fast at reading Japanese yet."

"Oh, come on. We lived in Japan for six years!"

Meiling rolled her eyes. "Yeah, we did; but those six years were just over four years ago! Between my junior high years and the past two high school ones in China, I haven't had time to brush up in Japanese!"

"I still know all of it," Li countered.

Meiling ran a hand though her thick black hair, pausing to inspect the red in the bottom layers; an Avril Lavigne-Hilary Duff inspired take off of the black in their hair—except she chose red, being that her hair was already black. "Well, I don't. Besides, my parents will kill me for anything under a 90; you _know_ that!"

"Well, I guess, then..."

Meiling beamed, taking her plate to the kitchen. "Then it's settled! You're going, Syaoran Li, and don't you try and get out of this one!"

Perfect. Mission Busted Kinomoto: was already half completed.

* * *

Kaho sat at her dinner table alone that night correcting grammar assignments. No, she had still not given back her classes the first paragraph they handed in—she had a new plan, though. Plan 'keep as a sample of writing and return at the end of the year'.

She sighed flipping her long hair over a shoulder. So many mistakes...her previous class at another school's grammar assignments had been so fast to correct. All in all, there were maybe ten mistakes out of all the assignments. Needless to say, her previous class belonged to a school where the tuition was average for a private school, but the standards to get in were high. You couldn't buy your way in.

But, unfortunately, it had more serious flaws; flaws that she preferred not to think about at the moment.

She refocused her attention to the paper in front of her. Yet, try as she might, there was a feeling that she couldn't shake off.

* * *

Tomoyo Daidoji paced her bedroom. This wasn't typical.

In two hours, the famous Kinomoto party would start; but it wasn't typical of her to know that. She usually found out on Monday's that Sakura's party rumored-to-have-been-taking-place-soon took place the past weekend weekend.

Something wasn't right; and it had just struck her a few hours ago. She had known about this for the past two days; usually Sakura kept them on the down low until the school day after. Then the usual who-got-drunk, who-split-up, and who-grew-up became the hottest topic for days.

She paused by her bed with the white, lacy _Laura Ashley _bed spread and opened her school bag, digging for her cell phone.

"Please, pick up...," Tomoyo prayed as the phone continued ringing.

* * *

Sakura sat down beside her boyfriend as they got into his navy blue _Echo_. "Hey," she said closing the passenger side door, "it's already eight. You were supposed to come at 7:30. I'm going to get back late."

"Relax, will you," Matt said. "It's not the end of the world if you're back a bit late. Alex and Sara can take care of things. Besides, I'm more interested in you—"

"Matt, drive, please," Sakrua said, pushing her boyfriend away from her. She was usually up for a round, or two; but her Dad's supply of Vodka was running on empty.

Matt shifted in his seat and started the car. "How much are you planning to buy tonight anyways? My parents put a limit on my driver's license last week after I came home drunk—"

"Don't worry about it," Sakura said tying her hair into a bun. "you're not even going to go in."

Matt turned a corner. "You're not legal, babe," he informed her. "Nobody in your grade is."

"I know." Sakura smiled as she pulled a white card out of her wallet with the words _Tomoeda High School_ across the top. "Look," she said handing it to him. "this is why I'm going in this time."

"How did you get it?"

"Though Alex," was all Sakura offered as an explaination.

Matt stopped at a red light, inspecting the student ID card. "Looks real to me."

Sakura smirked adjusting the sunglasses on her face and glancing at the black wig in the bag beside her. "That's because it is."

With the spirit week theme forgotten for the moment, the beautiful people were busy getting ready for the party at Sakura Kinomoto's house tonight.

* * *

"Does this dress make me look fat?"

"No, but halter dresses are too July anyways."

"How about this scarf?"

"Scarves are out, retard!"

"What about these shoes? I _am_ short, plus the silver looks good with my skin tone."

"It's December—nobody wears an open toe heel in December!"

"Has anybody seen Sakura?"

Both girls looked towards the door of Sakura Kinomoto's bedroom. "Lyndze?" They asked in unison.

"I thought you weren't coming until later," Alex clarified.

"Yeah, didn't you get a call earlier," Sara asked as she dug through the pile of clothes on the floor. She paused as she picked up a tight, red Channel top; deciding she liked it, she put it in a separate pile.

"I did." Lyndze said. She ran a hand through her just-straightened hair; the result of her last three paychecks and a _Paul Brown Hawaii_ straightener. "But I really need to see Sakura. Do you know where she might have gone off to? She was here half an hour ago; but she's not anymore. I checked her whole house."

"Maybe she went out to buy something," Alex suggested, not bothering to look up from the pile of clothes she was sorting through.

Lyndze nodded; not for Alex and Sara's sake—they were far too involved in the clothes to notice her. But for herself—Alex and Sara only cared about what they saw in the clothes piles. "I'm gonna go look—"

"Not looking like that. At least put on a skirt."

"It's December!"

Alex paused and looked up from what she was doing. "If you're not going to stay and let us approve you're outfit, I want you looking decent in case you get back and the party has already started." Alex threw her a deep blue high skirt, which stopped at high thigh, that would match the top she currently had on; after a moment of digging, she also threw her friend a pair of black, high heel sandals with long straps that went around the leg. "Good thing you already did your hair; it looks nice."

"Thanks." Lyndze said, baffled, as came back from behind a closet door with the skirt and shoes on. Alex never complemented her. Ever.

Alex came up to her and quickly applied foundation, mascara, eyeliner, a blue eyeshadow, sparkles and a hint of blush to her friend. "Alright, all good. Wait—do you have a matching purse—"

The slam of a door cut her off.

"—I found one."

But, when she looked up, Sakura's door was already closed and Lyndze was no where to be seen.

Alex shrugged. "Must be _some_ phone call."

* * *

"Let me off here," Sakura said a block away from the liquor store. "Then come and pick me up after, in the parking lot across alright?"

Matt nodded. "How much time?"

Sakura paused for a moment to fix her platform shoes that added two inches to her height. "Fifteen minutes, maybe?"

"Alright. Why are you wearing—"

"You'll see tonight," Sakura promised as she made her way to the liquor store.

Matt drove away in silence, as he turned his car around to wait in the parking lot.

"Hello, Miss," the employee said. "How may I help you?"

"Three bottles of your best Cuban Vodka, two bottles of strong, Mexican Tequila—I don't care which brand, as long as it tastes exotic. Preferably something that might go with...oh, I don't know, something fruity most likely."

The employee paused at a shelf. "It might help if you know—"

Sakura took this opportunity to flip her long black hair over her shoulder. "Well, I don't. You could say I'm...picking this up for a friend."

The male wine vendor nodded. "It's for a punch right?"

"That's right."

"A party?"

"Yes."

"I thought university exams started this Monday."

Sakura smirked. This was too perfect. "Oh...yeah. I guess they do."

"I go to university here in Tokyo, too. I didn't hear of any parties."

"It's exclusive."

"I see. Well, I have your purchases," the vendor walked behind the counter, bagging the alcohol. "I'm going to have to see ID."

Sakura smiled. "Sure," she handed him cash and a card face down, at the last moment pulling it back. "Oh. Wrong card."

She handed him another one, almost identical. He bit his lip; the ID _did_ say she was eighteen.

"Anything wrong?"

"No, nothing. Uh, here you go." He said handing her seven dollars in change and two bags of wine. "Have a nice evening."

Sakura smiled. "You too," she reached for her purse, which had fallen on the floor, and threw a white card from it by the front desk. She went towards the door, then paused to turn around. "What do you close tonight?"

"Eleven because it's a Friday."

"Perfect."

And she left the store, heading towards her boyfriend's car.

* * *

"The party's in full swing huh," Alex muttered to Sara.

"Yeah...oh, Eric's here!"

"Eric as in your sisters' boyfriend?"

"Yeah."

"How many times have you two—?"

"Every chance we get."

Alex rolled her eyes. "That's not disturbing."

Sara ran her fingers though her hair and Eric came over "Eric, hey."

Alex wandered though the crowds. Why were there so many people here? Sakura's parties we're _always_ exclusive. She spotted a few of the school losers wandering though the crowd with their dragon t-shirts on.

What the fuck?

"Alex, hey," Sakura said, pulling her friend towards the kitchen where pink lemonade punch sat untouched.

"Why are these people here?"

Sakura smiled. "You'll see."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Did you and Matt get enough tequila and vodka if you insist on having all these retarded people here?"

"Yes, yes—but, you can't spike it too much."

"And why not?"

"Just make sure you can't taste it."

"Isn't that the point of spiking things? So you can taste it?"

"Make sure you put both the vodka and tequila in there."

"_Both_? What about the tequila shots we were going to have? Besides, if we put both in that'll taste—"

"Just do it," Sakura snapped. "I need this to be somewhat mild and tasteless. No one can get past tipsy tonight." She glanced at the clock. Ten o'clock. Perfect.

Alex nodded her head slowly. "You've got something planned, don't you?"

Sakrua winked playfully. "You'll see."

* * *

Lyndze, tired of being felt up as she walked by the retarded jocks, went into Sakura's room to get privacy. Eriol had called her, saying that he needed to talk with her and to meet him in the Mango Tango cafe; but, he hadn't shown up.

"I should have known he would have blown me off—"

"I'm sorry."

Lyndze whipped around and saw Eriol standing in the corner.

"Eriol? Why—"

"Look, Lyndze, I'm sorry—"

Lyndze dropped to Sakura's bed. "How could you do that?"

"Because I wasn't sure if you'd come," Eriol admitted. "We haven't exactly talked in a while."

"Well I sure as hell make a commitment to be somewhere if I get asked to meet someone," she snapped. "Even if I don't think they'll be there either."

Eriol ran his hand though his hair. "Please, Lyndze, don't be mad—"

"Too late."

"Lyndze, please, I-I just miss you that's all."

"That's why you wanted to talk? Because you missed me?"

"Yes—"

Lyndze threw her hands up. "I see you everyday in math class, Eriol. Every fucking day after we broke up, I tried to talk with you."

"I'm sorry—"

"Every fucking day. And you blew me off, every time."

Eriol looked down. "I-I know."

"I wanted to be friends, Eriol. But all of a sudden it was like a had a disease or something," Lyndze placed her head in her hands.

"I didn't want things to be complicated, Lyndz. I never meant to hurt you."

"Well you did; for a while at least," she stood up and crossed the room, heading towards the door. She paused halfway there. "I hated you Eriol. Then I thought maybe you needed some space; so I gave it to you. Then you called tonight, and I though 'maybe he's ready to be friends, now'." She looked at him tears in her eyes. "But, you just called me for no reason, s that it?"

Eriol shook his head, crossing the room as well. "No, no! I called to say..."

Lyndze crossed her arms. "To say...?"

Eriol bit his lip. He had to say it. He had too. To save Lyndze the fate Sakura would give her.

"Eriol," she prompted.

"Do you still hate me?"

Lyndze shook her head. "You called to ask if I hate you?"

"No, Lyndze, I meant—"

"Yes, _I hate you_ Eriol," she screamed, reaching for the door handle. "Happy? _I_ _fucking hate you_." Tears began running down her cheeks as she opened to door.

"I love you Lyndze," he said softly, grabbing her wrist and closing the door with his other hand.

"Let me go."

Eriol wrapped his arms around her. "Please, Lyndze, I didn't talk to you this entire year because I thought it'd be too hard on me. And I blew you off tonight partly because I was a coward and didn't have the guts to face you. And I thought if you we're as mad as I imagined, you wouldn't come anyways."

Lyndze looked up, still in his embrace; her tears stopped coming. "Really?"

"But," Eriol said quietly, "I'll never blow you off again."

Lyndze looked up, shocked. "Are you asking—"

Eriol smiled a bit; man, was he ever digging his grave deep. "Will you go out with me again?"

Lyndze smiled and reached up to kiss him. And, to Eriol's own astonishment, he met her halfway.

* * *

Syaoran arrived with Meiling at 10:45 that evening; yes, he had insisted on waiting for her, to Meiling's disappointment. But, as she reflected, it wouldn't affect anything. Her plan was still in motion.

"Syaoran, why don't you go over with your other friends? I'll catch up with you later."

Syaoran shrugged and walked over to where a few of his teammates were standing.

Meiling slipped over to the punch and tasted it.

What—no liquor? This couldn't be happening.

She leaned over and smelt it.

"And that's how you _smell_ a busted Kinomoto."

And, with that, she walked outside the house to make the call.

* * *

Tomoyo raced down the street towards Sakura's house; she hadn't been here for how many years? And, to make matters worse, it was a cold December day and the only parking she could find was a block away from the house.

Stupid parties.

She tugged her coat tighter to her body; she couldn't believe what she was about to do. Meiling hadn't answered her cell phone; probably ignoring her calls on purpose. And now, she was about to _walk in_ to her to the party of the person who ruined her high school reputation just so Meiling could be warned that something wasn't right.

The things she did for her friends.

With a deep breath, she opened the front door.

* * *

The young bartender was sweeping the floor as he noticed a small, white card on the floor.

Wasn't that the card the young, black haired girl was about to give him?

He turned the card over and gasped.

A school ID from this year. This girl was sixteen and in grade eleven at Tomodea High.

Without a second thought, he called the police station down the street and told them about the girl. Within minutes two cops walked into the liquor store.

"Here's her ID. She gave me a fake one and bought quite a lot of liquor with it. Paid in cash, actually. Said it was for a party tonight. She must have dropped this."

The first police officer nodded. "We got a call about a underage party with alcohol just minutes earlier, so after we check it out, we'll start on this."

* * *

Lyndze broke off the kiss with Eriol as she looked out Sakura's window at the flashing red light from a few blocks away. "Eriol, look; do you think—"

Eriol turned around and pushed Lyndze towards the door. "Come on. We should leave just in case."

Lyndze hurried down the stairs, only to see Tomoyo Daidoji come in the front door. "Look, it's Daidoji," she said. Eriol's eyes widened. This couldn't be good.

Tomoyo looked around. "Meiling," she called as he friend walked back into the living room, preparing to leave. "I—"

"Tomoyo," she hissed back, running up to meet her friend. "We have to get out of here. Let's go out the—"

"Leaving so fast, ladies," Sakura asked.

Meiling arched an eyebrow, pulling Tomoyo towards Sakura. "I have no idea, Kinomoto, why—"

"Nobody move," a police officer said, the music stopping as his partner pulled hit the fuse outside, "this parties over. Where's Sakura Kinomoto?"

"Over here," Meiling said, pointing to Sakura. "She's here."

"Miss Kinomoto, you're going to have to come with us."

"Excuse me?"

The police officer pointed to the punch. "Party with alcohol and underage students isn't a smart mix."

"There's no alcohol in it," Sakura answered evenly.

"Then you won't mind if I taste it?"

Sakura shrugged casually as everyone else began whispering. "Go ahead. I've had plenty."

One of the police officers walked over to it and had a sip.

It tasted fine.

He leaned over to smell it; it smelt like mild vodka.

He took out an alcohol sensitive strip and placed it in the punch.

The punch tested positive to vodka and tequila.

The officer headed back to the front door. "Well, Miss Kinomoto, it looks like someone slipped it in there—"

His partner elbowed him and showed him the ID and the list of alcohol bought. "You there," he officer said to Meiling. "What's your name?"

"Li Meiling."

"Well, Miss Meiling Li, I'm afraid I'm going to have to take you in."

As she was being taken away, all she remembered Sakura's superior smirk, Syaroran's worried gaze, and repeating the phrase _this isn't happening_ in her head over and over.

Tomoyo, on the other hand, backed into a wall; she knew this wasn't a typical party and this just proved it.


End file.
